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Chapter Text

“Kashvi, wait up!” Naili cried, laughing as her sister ran off towards the lake. “Mother says we must stick together!”

“Then you better keep up!” Kashvi turned around for a moment before running faster than before, her Lekku moving in the wind. Naili rolled her eyes, deciding not to scold her further. Besides, they weren’t going far from their home. The worst that could happen was them accidentally straying into their grumpy neighbor’s garden. By the time she arrived at the lake, Kashvi was already knee-deep in the water.

“By the stars, sister, you’re starting to get faster than me!”

“That’s why father says I’ll be a good hunter one day,” she stuck her tongue out at Naili, giggling as she dodged a playful hit.

“You may be a good hunter, but I’m gonna travel the galaxy someday. I’ll be the first Twi’lek to be a famous explorer!”

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Naili awoke with a start, sweat glistening on her purple skin. Her hazel eyes were shining with tears and her throat was just barely containing a sob. Every night she was plagued by her happiest memories, and every night she was tricked into thinking she was back home. She looked around at the poor excuse for a room she resided in and sighed. She certainly had travelled the galaxy, but not in the way she wanted to.

Ever since the raid on her home, her life had been a living hell. Her home was ripped apart by slavers, her parents were struck down by blaster fire, and she was separated from her sister. To make matters worse, she was sold to the Zygerrians, who forced her to work in the mines. She didn’t even know what they were mining for. All she knew was that these scum believed themselves to be a superior species.

The queen was worse, however, as she required a new slave almost every month due to suicides. It seems it was Naili’s turn to work in the palace, as she was to be transferred there sometime today. “Naili!” A voice whispered to her. Naili looked down at her bunkmate, Aksha, a young Togruta woman that had become a friend to her. “Did you have another nightmare?”

“No, just another memory,” she sighed, willing the tears away. “I would rather not talk about it.”

“That’s alright, I was just about to warn you that it’s almost time to get up anyway. I can hear the guards outside the barracks,” Aksha tilted her head to listen for any noises outside.

“Thank you, I wouldn’t wanna sleep in again. I would rather not get another scar,” she joked. Aksha glared at her, not enjoying the Twi’lek’s sense of humor. Just then, one of the guards came in, activating his whip to remind everyone that it was time to get up. Just the sound of it turning on was enough to get them out of bed.

“Alright you skugs, the queen has guests arriving today, so work will double,” he smirked. His gaze then fell on Naili, who immediately turned her head down as a sign of respect. “You! The queen wants you as her personal slave, so you’re coming with me.” He then firmly grabbed her arm to lead her out of the barracks, not even letting her say goodbye to her friend.

Everyone knew working in the palace was basically a death sentence. Most of the slaves there committed suicide because the queen was so harsh. Naili wasn’t expecting her story to end any differently, but she would try to survive as long as she could. As the guard led her upstairs and outside, she kept her head down. One wrong move and she would be punished. She learned that the hard way at a young age.

The journey to the palace was a fairly long one, but once she stepped into its walls, the sense of dread she had been feeling all night skyrocketed. This was to be her prison for who knows how long. Its long hallways and lavish decorations meant nothing to her. No matter how beautiful it looked, it was still a prison. She hated it already. She hated the Zygerrians, she hated her life, and she especially hated the war.

“Your majesty,” the guard kneeled, also pushing Naili down so that she would kneel. “Your new slave, as you requested,” he gestured to the Twi’lek.

“Perfect timing,” the queen smiled as she waved away a droid carrying a plate of fruit. Naili risked a small glance at the throne, surprised to see a hologram of Jabba the Hutt sitting next to her.

“Atai, you know Jabba,” the queen began.

“It is an honor,” Atai bowed his head. Jabba growled something back, but Naili couldn’t understand him. Her masters had only taught her Basic after she was captured.

“It turns out, Jabba needs a new dancer for his collection, and I happened to acquire a new slave this morning,” the queen glared at Naili, making her skin crawl.

“Am I to assume you want to sell this slave, Your Majesty?” Atai smirked.

“Yes. In fact, all the arrangements have been made. A ship is on its way here now to pick this one up. I want you to get her cleaned up before their arrival.”
"Yes, my queen,” Atai bowed and forced Naili to follow him. Various thoughts began to flood her mind at this news. Working for the queen was one thing, but working for Jabba? He was worse than her by far. Dancers in Jabba’s palace were known to perform disgusting acts for the perverted monster. She certainly did not want to go to Tatooine.

Who knows what she would be doing there? She supposed she was going to be put in a skimpy outfit that barely covered anything. She didn’t even know how to dance! Tears welled up in her eyes again at the thought of Jabba drooling over her. This morning, all she wanted to do was leave Zygerria. Now, she wanted nothing more than to stay.

The process of getting her clean wasn’t gentle, to say the least. She was grateful women were doing the job, but she knew that was only due to the fact she was about to be presented to Jabba himself. They didn’t want anything to go missed. Next, she was dressed in a two-piece outfit that showed off her body very well. Whenever she walked, the gold hanging off of her hips would jingle, suggesting that she may have to do some belly dancing.

Once she was dressed and cleaned, Atai looked her over, not hiding the way he licked his lips at the sight of her. In response, Naili crossed her arms over her stomach, only for him to pull them from their position. “This will do,” was all he said before leading her over to the docks. “It’s a pity the queen sold you. You would’ve made a good skug to play with,” he chuckled, reaching around to place a hand on the small of her back. Before he could go lower, the ship that would take her away landed on the dock.

She silently thanked the stars that he didn’t advance any further. All she wanted to do was get away from him. She expected there to be some formal hand off, but no. All she did was get pushed onto the ship, where a handful of other people were standing, all of them in cuffs. She was escorted to the far wall of the ship and chained to the others. She looked at her surroundings, noticing she was chained to a Rhodian and another Twi’lek.

Before she knew it, the ship was taking off, leaving the world of Zygerria behind. As they entered hyperspace, Naili wondered how her life had turned upside down so quickly. She worried about her little sister, who was either lost in the galaxy somewhere, or dead. She mourned her parents, who were taken from her so easily. Now she was being taken to Tatooine as a slave to be ogled at by Jabba and his sick allies. Naili furrowed her brow, realizing that she couldn’t just stand by and be toyed with anymore. She was going to do something about her treatment. She was going to escape.

Chapter Text

Tatooine was just as Naili had imagined it to be: hot and sandy. As soon as she stepped onto the desert ground, she knew she was going to hate it here. Jabba’s palace was even worse. It was just another prison to her, no matter how big it was. It was the same color as the sand and was just as boring on the outside as it was on the inside. Any time she would stop to gawk at her surroundings, the slavers would poke her with a stick.

When they got to Jabba’s throne, Naili had to stifle a gag. It smelled like a rotting bantha in this room. It was so stuffy and humid that it made her itch terribly, although she couldn’t explain that reaction. There were a couple barely dressed people hanging off of Jabba, who was snacking on paddy frogs. His large eyes widened even more when he caught sight of his new pets. “Ah!” he exclaimed and proceeded to lick his lips. Naili again had to push the feeling of retching down her throat.

He spoke something in Huttese that she couldn’t understand, although she caught words like ‘beautiful’ and ‘prize.’ “The mighty Jabba wants any of you that can sing to follow this slave to one of the back rooms,” the protocol droid translated. “The rest of you are to follow Sy Snootles to another room where you will learn to dance,” the droid informed. With that, their chains were removed, leaving the cuffs around their feet, hands, and necks attached.

“Come on girls, I’ll show you to your new quarters,” the Pa’lowick woman grinned. Naili hadn’t seen many Pa’lowicks in the places that she had been, so she was quite surprised to see a female of her species residing in Jabba’s palace. She seemed kind enough, although there was a hint of sleaziness to her character that Naili did not like. “What’s your name, hun?” Sy asked, pointing to Naili.

“Um, Naili,” she replied, not used to speaking in the presence of another being.

“What a beautiful Twi’lek with such pretty purple skin! You’re gonna be Jabba’s favorite, I’m sure. He just adores purple things,” Sy chuckled. Naili didn’t understand how that would be a good thing, but she just gave her a small smile. “And I see you’re already dressed for the job, which means I have less work to do. You other girls will be assigned to your own trainers, I call dibs on Naili here,” Sy locked arms with her and grinned.

She tried to smile back, but it came out more like a grimace than anything. The next few hours were spent sitting in front of a mirror and letting Sy do her makeup. The Pa’lowick would not stop prattling on about how beautiful she looked, and how she would fit right in with the other dancers. All Naili did was smile and let out the occasional chuckle, but all she wanted to do was cry. On the flight to Tatooine, she was coming up with different ways to escape. Now that she was in the palace, she realized that was going to be near impossible to do.

Once she was done with the makeup, Sy taught her a few dance moves that had Naili blushing with embarrassment. There was a lot of hip movements that showed off all of her curves. It was absolutely humiliating. These lessons continued for hours, leaving her breathless and sore. It was only until the sun was setting that Sy let her go. She was given a small amount of food and her own room, which was better than what she had on Zygerria, but not significantly so.

Once she was alone, Naili collapsed onto the bed and began sobbing. Her mind drifted to thoughts of her sister. She had no way of knowing how she was doing or if she was even alive. She thought of the moment when the Separatists invaded her village and took her away from her home. If the war hadn’t started, she would still be living happily with her family. Then there was the fact that slave trade was still going on in many parts of the galaxy, which the Republic didn’t seem to care about.

Rage filled her heart, hatred for everyone and everything burning inside of her. She hated the Separatists and the Republic. It didn’t matter who was evil or good, all she knew was that both sides had failed as a government. While the Separatists engaged in slave trade, the Republic just let it happen as if they didn’t have the means to stop it. She had heard stories of the Jedi, yes, and how they swore they were the most compassionate beings out there, but she didn’t believe them.

If they were so kind, they would be raiding Jabba’s palace right now and breaking all of them out of here. In her opinion, the Jedi were just as evil as the Separatists. How could they let crime lords like Jabba exist? Naili frowned and shook her head, deciding to finish the bread Sy had given her. It wouldn’t do her any good to dwell on her anger. Besides, she planned to use her emotions to help her escape later. How she would plan it out was a whole different story, one that she would think about tomorrow.

All throughout the night, she was tossing and turning, her mind haunting her with memories of her childhood. She often woke up in tears, her body trembling in fear as she remembered the invasion. Knowing she wasn’t getting anymore sleep after the 5th nightmare, she decided to keep her strength up. On Zygerria, when she was alone in a cell or in a room as a punishment, she would do push-ups, jog in place, pull-ups when she could, and anything else that would keep her muscles working.

It was also a way for her to feel grounded. She couldn’t control anything in her life, so might as well control her health the best she could. This is what she began to do in her room in Jabba’s palace. This is what kept her at least somewhat sane for the first few weeks working in the palace. Every time she finished a dance, she would go to her room to work out no matter how tired she was. Soon, her body become perfectly toned, which only made Jabba’s interest in her worse.

“Naili, how did you become even more beautiful than when you first arrived?” Sy complimented as they were getting ready for a show one day.

“A magician never reveals her tricks,” Naili joked. That was another thing that kept her sane. Her living conditions were much better here than on Zygerria, which brought her sense of humor back. That didn’t mean she liked what she had to do, however.

“Keep up whatever you’re doing, and you may take my job,” Sy laughed. That was another problem Naili had added to her list. Sy and her had become friends over the months, but now that Jabba had taken a liking to the Twi’lek, the Pa’lowick had grown jealous. She wouldn’t be surprised if Sy decided to assassinate her in her sleep. She had done that in the past, after all.

“I could never take your job, Sy. You’re way more experienced than me. Besides, I know you have a thing for one of the Hutts,” Naili smiled. Sy glared at her, but then quickly changed her expression into fondness. This was a game they started playing ever since she had become jealous of Naili. She would remind her ‘friend’ that she knew about her forbidden relationship with Ziro. Any other attempts at threatening her and she would reveal her secret to Jabba.

“Aw, it’s just a harmless little fling. He’s growing a bit too attached anyway, so I may break it off soon,” Sy pursed her lips to rub lipstick on them. Just then, the band started playing, which was Naili’s cue to go on stage.

“Well, see you later. I got some Hutts to please,” she smirked and sauntered off towards the stage. “Come on Naili, just play along a little longer,” she whispered to herself. She had been planning her escape ever since she arrived on Tatooine. It was only a matter of time before she could leave. First, however, she had to play the part of Jabba’s pet.

As the sensual music began, Naili began by belly dancing, something she became very talented at over the months she’s been at the palace. It was a trick that left all of Jabba’s guests speechless. She stared right in the crime lord’s eyes as she swung her hips and performed a few acrobatic moves. Jabba laughed and licked his lips, his tail thumping along to the beat of the music.

Today, she put on a chain connected to the Hutt’s throne. This allowed the slaver to pull the slave so close to his body that he could touch her wherever he liked. Naili was attempting to perform well while also refraining from seducing the crime lord too much. Unfortunately, her plan failed. Without warning, Jabba yanked on the chain, causing her to choke for a split second. There was no doubt going to be a bruise left on her neck. She collapsed into the Hutt’s slimy body, his stench overwhelming her senses.

Naili hid her gag by looking down so as to make him think she was showing a sign of respect. Jabba leaned down and began softly talking in her ear, making a shiver go down her spine. Within her time at the palace, she’d been able to pick up enough Huttese to hold up a basic conversation, so she understood him to an extent. “I’m glad I chose you to be mine, pet. You will make a fine play thing for my desires,” he licked his lips once again.

This is it, Naili thought with terror. This is the moment he’ll ask everyone to leave. I’ll be completely alone with him. She closed her eyes and waited for the moment that would change her forever. Before he could utter a word, however, a guard came up to the throne and whispered something in the lord’s ear. She couldn’t understand what they were talking about, but when a male Duro walked through the door, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Jabba, I need to speak with you,” the man demanded. Jabba growled and let her go so she could stand near the wall with the other slaves.

“Cad Bane, what a surprise,” the Hutt sneered.

“Don’t play dumb with me, you scum. I haven’t received my pay yet, which leads me to believe you’re hogging it yourself.”

“I may have your money, but I’m not sure you deserve it. After all, instead of capturing the target, you killed him.”

“I got the job done, didn’t I? Give me what you owe me, or there’ll be consequences,” Bane growled as he quickly pulled out two blasters from his holsters and aimed both of them at Jabba. The room was suddenly thrown into chaos, with some of Naili’s fellow slaves cowering in fear, while other bounty hunters aimed their weapons at the Duro standing before them. Instead of panicking, Jabba just laughed.

“Do you really think you can kill me? It is you who will suffer the consequences,” Jabba chortled, his whole body shaking with laughter. Naili started slowly ducking down behind a crate, noticing that Bane was getting angrier. Without any warning, he began firing at the Hutt, gunning down a couple bounty hunters at his side. Everybody started screaming with horror, scrambling to get away from the crazy hunter with the wide-brimmed hat. In one blinding realization, Naili knew that this was her chance.

The Twi’lek bolted out from her hiding place and tackled the guard that held the key to her cuffs. He must’ve been quite surprised, because she was able to unlock her chains fairly easily. Before Jabba realized what was happening, Naili had grabbed a baton from one of the guards and sprinted away. Swiftly, she jumped on one of the guards’ backs and hit him in the head with her baton, doing the same to the other one.

The door to the outside was only a few feet away, causing her heart to beat faster in her chest. She never stopped, never hesitated, never slowed, even as she ran out of the palace as fast as she could go. Her feet practically hovered over the sand as she ran farther from the palace, not bothering to check how close or far away she was. All she did was keep running despite her body telling her to stop. The world blurred as tears filled her vision, the urge to cry making her choke on the need for air.

Finally, she stumbled and fell to her knees in the sand, ignoring the burning sensation she got as she collapsed. She was now on her hands and knees, heart-wrenching sobs causing her to retch onto the desert ground. Five years; that's how long she had been in captivity. Five years of pure torture. Five years of grueling work and painful punishments. With a deep breath, she let out a blood-curdling howl, her cries echoing across the unforgiving planet. What seemed like hours passed until she couldn’t cry anymore. Naili wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands and looked around.

To her astonishment, the palace was no longer visible, leading her to believe she had run much farther than she thought. It was then that she realized how hot it was with the two suns blaring on her from above. She was out in the desert, alone, with no water. “Great,” she sighed, “my first taste of freedom and I blow it.” She studied the world around her once again, deciding to stand up on her now shaky legs.

Fortunately, the clothing she wore helped her stay cool. Unfortunately, it didn’t protect her from the suns’ rays. Her skin was exposed and, although her pigmentation somewhat guarded her, she was still susceptible to potential sunburns. This fact was made known to her when she started walking. Twi’leks already had higher body temperatures than humans, so traveling under the hot sun was not ideal. Then there was the problem of no water. Her mouth was dry and was starting to feel like it was cracking. It would only be a matter of time before she fainted, or worse.

Despite this, she kept walking, determined to keep as much distance between her and Jabba’s palace as possible. For hours she would not stop, convincing herself that if she could just find a town, she would find a safe place to rest. Just a little further, and she would be able to find water. Just a bit more, and she could get some new clothes. Suddenly, everything went black.

Chapter Text

“It’s alright, sama, you’ll get there,” a purple, male Twi’lek gently laid a hand on Naili’s shoulder.

“I can’t do it, kora! No matter how hard I try, I just can’t hit it,” Naili crossed her arms and threw her bow on the ground. Darap, her father, chuckled and crouched down to her level.

“Well, there’s your problem,” he spoke softly. “You’re thinking too much. You need to feel the earth around you. Listen to the trees when they blow in the wind, watch the rycrit’s movements.”

“Why is my sister doing better at this than I am? She’s younger than me!” Naili kicked some dirt around with her foot dejectedly.

“Because she’s better at listening with her senses than you,” Darap teased. That got a smile out of the young girl, who stuck her tongue out at her father. “Are you ready to try again?”

“Mhm, I think I understand now,” she took a deep breath and aimed her bow.

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The first thing Naili noticed as she woke up was that she was laying on something soft. She tried opening her eyes, only to close them again when the sun hit them. She slightly moved her limbs, finding that they weren’t shackled or restrained. She was also covered with a blanket that was just the tiniest bit scratchy. When she finally opened her eyes, she was surprised to find herself in a small hut. “How did I get here?” She whispered to herself.

The room she was in was small, almost smaller than her room in Jabba’s palace. It consisted of the bed she was currently on, one window, and two cabinets that she guessed held clothes. The color of the room was cream, which meant she might still be on Tatooine. The door was closed, but she could hear someone moving around outside.

Before deciding if she was in danger or not, she noticed a cup of water next to the bed. She quickly grabbed it and chugged it down, her throat and mouth instantly feeling better. As she put the cup back down, the door to the room slid open, making her jump. There stood a tall Kyuzo man with a wide, metal hat that almost hid his eyes. Next to him stood an Anooba that seemed very happy to see her awake. They both stared at each other for a moment before he stepped closer.

In response, Naili scooted backwards to get away from him. Who knows if he was a dangerous man or not? He could be another slaver, or someone that was sent to capture her. She didn’t want to take any chances. However, the man held up his hands in surrender, showing that he carried no weapons. He spoke in a language she didn’t recognize, which just made her all the more suspicious. The Kyuzo hesitated and looked around the room before leaning over to grab a datapad out of one of the cabinets in the room.

Naili didn’t dare move a muscle, still scared of this tall being and his intimidating presence. It was only when he wrote something down and gave her the datapad that she began to calm down. On the pad was one word: Embo. She looked up at him in confusion before he first pointed to the word, then to himself. “Your name is Embo?” She raised a brow. He nodded, his face showing that he was smiling in his own way.

“I’m Naili,” she replied, covering herself more with the blanket. “Do you speak Basic?” Embo shook his head and then pointed to the word again. “I can see you can at least write and understand it. Are you the one that rescued me?” Again, he nodded, then gently took the datapad from her. Hungry? He wrote. At the mention of food, her stomach gave a low growl. Embo chuckled and disappeared into the main room of the house.

When he left, his Anooba came closer and sniffed her hand. Deciding the beast wasn’t a threat, she hesitantly pet its head. It began wagging its tail happily, making the Twi’lek giggle in delight. Embo came back in with a plate of food and smiled at the sweet sight. Naili took the food, uttering a gentle ‘thank you’ before beginning to eat. Embo showed her the datapad once again, which read: clothes?

“If you have any that fit me, new clothes would be much appreciated,” she gave him a small smile. Luckily, he seemed to be prepared because he already had a simple outfit in his hands. With a click of his tongue, he called his pet and left Naili to her own devices. She finished the food quickly, not knowing how long he was going to give her to change. The outfit included gray, loose-fitting pants, a short-sleeved, cream shirt that was as soft as a feather, and a pair of brown boots. It wasn’t much, and the colors weren’t to her liking, but she was grateful for something that better covered her figure.

Now she had to discover how Embo had found her, and what he planned to do with her. Taking the empty plate with her, she carefully opened the door and stepped out into what looked like a small living space. Embo was sitting on a chair, his Anooba sleeping beside him. “Thank you for the clothes. Wearing that two-piece was not comfortable,” she scoffed as she sat down. “And thank you for rescuing me. I don’t think I would’ve survived much longer without your help.”

Embo muttered something in his language and nodded his head. He began writing on the pad again, sometimes stopping to rewrite a word or think about what he was going to say. When he was done, he showed her what he had written. Slave clothes. Twi’lek. Sleeping desert. Story? Naili was now more confused. This was going to be a problem. If she couldn’t communicate with her savior, how was she supposed to make it out in the galaxy? “Are you asking how I got in the desert? You’ve already deduced that I’m a slave from what I was wearing, so I guess this is the part where you’ll bring me back to Jabba huh?”

The Kyuzo suddenly blurted out a series of guttural sounds that she couldn’t understand but he sounded alarmed. He shook his head and waved his hands, emphasizing how her assumption was incorrect. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just, I’ve been in captivity for so long, I just like to be careful about who I’m talking to,” she hurriedly explained. Embo just nodded and pointed to the words he had written.

For a moment, Naili thought that maybe she shouldn’t tell him her story. What if he was just pretending to be nice as a ruse? He could be one of Jabba’s thugs, or a bounty hunter that didn’t care about her one bit. However, his eyes radiated kindness, something that she hadn’t experienced since she lived on Ryloth. He was patiently waiting for her to respond, probably knowing that she had to weigh her options before saying anything.

“Well, it’s true I’m a runaway slave from Jabba’s palace,” she began. With that, she told him everything from her capture on Ryloth to her slavery in Jabba’s palace. Her emotions flowed out of her as she told her story, everything that she had experienced suddenly bubbling up to the surface. Embo just listened, giving her time to compose herself when she needed to, and letting her take a break when she was sobbing too hard.

When she was done, she felt a hundred times better. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cry in front of you like that. I mean, you’re a stranger who doesn’t know me at all,” she chuckled dryly. Embo just shook his head and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, showing that he cared. “Thank you for listening, really,” she sniffed and wiped her eyes. “So, now I’m not sure what to do. I don’t have any money and I’m now wanted by Jabba probably,” she sighed, slumping in her seat.

I help, he wrote. Stay here? Naili snapped her eyes to his, straightening up in shock.

“You would take me in? But I wouldn’t be of any use to you! I barely know how to survive out here, and you would be chased down by Jabba because of me. I couldn’t ask you to do that!”

It’s okay. I help. Naili stared at those four words with wide eyes, feeling the urge to cry again. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and gave him a shaky smile.

“If you’re offering, I won’t refuse your help. I want to make it up to you, though. If I’m gonna stay here, I need to make some money and learn how to survive,” she sighed. Embo grunted something and pointed to the word ‘help.’ Naili laughed, “okay. I would really appreciate you teaching me, so thank you.”

The Kyuzo chuckled again and patted her shoulder in a friendly gesture. The Anooba barked happily as if it understood what they were talking about. Marrok, Embo wrote on the pad, pointing to his pet. Naili giggled and scratched Marrok behind the ears. “It’s nice to properly meet you, Marrok.” The next few days were a whirlwind. Embo eventually had to tell her he was a bounty hunter, which didn’t sit well with the Twi’lek. All was well, though, when she deciphered that he was an honorable hunter, something that was rare nowadays.

The Kyuzo decided not to take jobs for a little while, at least until they both figured out how to deal with Naili’s situation. They both had no idea how long she was going to stay, but so far Embo liked having the woman around. She was still jumpy and seemed to be always on edge, but he couldn’t blame her. After all, she had just come from a terrible life.

To get her settled in, Embo took her shopping to find her a few new outfits. They weren’t anything fancy, but they would protect her from Tatooine’s suns, and would let her move around easily if she got into a fight. In fact, she wanted to learn how to use a few weapons so that she could defend herself if need be. Luckily, Embo was happy to teach her everything he knew. Unfortunately, her training would have to wait, as Embo needed to get off of Tatooine.

She learned that his base was on Jaresh, which was his home world. The hut on Tatooine was something he rented. As they took off into space, Naili gripped onto her seat tightly. She’d never been in the cockpit of a ship before. She had only ever been in the cargo area, so this was a little overwhelming for her. Marrok was right beside her to keep her company, though, so all was well.

The flight to Jaresh was longer than she anticipated, but she didn’t mind. This was her chance to get some actual rest. However, when she laid down on the small bed that was located on the back of the ship, she couldn’t sleep. It was too quiet. The only sound that accompanied her were the occasional beeps of the ship’s navicomputer, which was unnerving for some reason. With a sigh, she swung her legs off the bed and returned to the cockpit.

Embo gave her a questioning gaze as she sat down. “I couldn’t sleep. It’s too quiet in here,” she wrapped her arms around her middle. He gave her a sad look at that but didn’t say anything. She kept her eyes trained on the ground, occasionally giving Marrok a few scratches. After a few moments, Embo gave her the datapad to show her what he wrote.

Naili healing. Get used to space. Get used to ship. Get used to new life. Naili looked up at him and smiled, knowing what he meant.

“You’re right, I’m still figuring everything out. I’m free now, so there’s so many possibilities for me out there. It’s just, I’ve never once chosen anything for myself. I don’t even remember how to be more than a slave,” she hugged her knees close to her chest. Embo got up and crouched next to her seat, resting a hand on her arm. It took a minute or two, but he eventually wrote out what he wanted to say.

I stay. You friend now. Won’t leave. You safe. I teach. Stay together. Naili began crying again, the few words he had written making her emotional. Without warning, Embo pulled her in a gentle hug. She froze up at first, but then wrapped her arms around him and relished in his warmth. He was right, they were friends, allies, and maybe even family now. She was safe as long as they stayed together. He would teach her ways to defend herself, and she would learn that she was much more than a slave. Together, they would survive. She would survive.

Chapter Text

“Ugh, why is this so hard?!” Naili exclaimed, throwing her knife onto the ground angrily.

“Be patient, Naili,” her mother scolded her.

“I can’t, Ryma! I don’t like watching and waiting,” she huffed. Her mother, Suka, sighed and put down her own weapon so that she could comfort her daughter.

“Naili, I know it is hard to be patient, but it must be done. Hunting is not just about killing the animal; it is about honoring their spirit. If we are gentle, we can kill it without harming its soul. That is why we must watch and wait,” Suka caressed the child’s cheek tenderly.

“Ssanti eti so koa bondara,” (but it is not easy) Naili wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

“Afa kich’ee, eyan uza,” (I know, young one) Suka smiled. “Learning how to be patient will help you master this art. It will be hard, but the more you calm yourself, the easier it will become. Do you understand, Naili?”

“I think so,” the girl sniffed and picked up her knife. “That doesn’t mean I like waiting, though.” Suka laughed and kissed her daughter on her forehead.

“You still have much to learn.”

*****************************************************************************************************************************************************

Naili remembered her mother’s words as she hunted. Watching and waiting was crucial in a successful hunt. She had never been the best at it, but with Embo’s help, it almost became second nature to her. Now, she stood watch atop a building located in the underworld of Coruscant, waiting until her prey walked out of the bar. She sighed and looked at the bounty information again. Yep, this was the right place. The smuggler should be walking out any minute now, although she felt she had been waiting for too long.

As she checked the time on her chronometer, she heard a loud clatter from inside the bar followed by a feminine scream. Naili looked up just in time to see the target sprint out of the bar, with none other than Aurra Sing on his tail. “Oh no, she’s not gonna get the credit this time,” she growled. She quickly put on her helmet, which she modified to accommodate her Lekku, and began following them close behind by jumping from building to building.

Aurra Sing and Naili had been rivals for quite some time. At first, it was just some friendly competition, but then it turned into dangerous encounters with the Palliduvan. Since Sing had been a bounty hunter way longer than Naili, she was more experienced, which led her to act cocky. Soon enough, she started to get in the way of the Twi’lek’s hunts, always bragging about how good of a hunter she was. It often led to shoot-outs, which was almost always interrupted by Embo or one of her other friends.

This thought just made her angrier as she jumped down onto the streets, deciding to make herself known. “Hey, schutta, this is my hunt!” She shouted to her enemy, causing the woman to turn around and glare at her in disgust.

“Too bad, I found him first,” Aurra cackled and ran faster, away from her. Naili clenched her fists, frantically looking around for a short-cut or some other means to beat the other bounty hunter. She made a sharp turn into an alleyway, almost colliding with the wall. She knew Coruscant well, as she often took jobs that were located here. Aurra mostly worked in the Outer Rim, so the Twi’lek had an advantage.

Naili expertly weaved through crowds of people and jumped over various boxes in order to keep up with her prey. It may have seemed like the slower route, but she knew better than that. Just like she predicted, she ran straight into Aurra, who grunted in surprise and dodged her pounce. “Why you little-“

“I told you, this is my hunt,” Naili growled, punching the Palliduvan in the face, knocking her out. She knew Aurra wouldn’t stay down for long, so she had to be quick if she wanted to catch this smuggler. Luckily, he seemed to think he was safe, so she aimed her blaster at the guy and set it to stun. She watched him pass out with a smirk, glad that the job went fairly quickly. Nobody batted an eye at the abduction. This sort of thing happened every day, after all, so why would they intervene?

Once she was in a secluded spot, she called her boss on her commlink. “Is it finished?” The woman sneered.

“Yes, I have him tied up. I can send you the coordinates,” Naili pressed a button to do as she said.

“Perfect, I’ll have my brother come by to take him off your hands. We’ll have this piece of bantha fodder behind bars soon enough,” her boss chuckled. With that, she hung up, leaving Naili to watch over her prisoner. Her boss was a victim of slavery, as she was taken from her home world at a young age. Long story short, she used to serve this man that she had tied up now and had asked Naili to capture him.

She’d been doing this for a year now, making a name for herself by taking jobs that had anything to do with trafficking. She knew she wouldn’t be able to get her revenge on Jabba, at least now right now, but she could help others who had been hurt by slavery. Now she was one of the more popular bounty hunters that people hired, which she was proud of. It allowed her to gain a decent amount of money as well as allies. Naili broke out of her musings when she heard a speeder approach her position.

“Is that him?” Her boss’ brother pointed to the man. She nodded, stepping aside to let him do his thing. He muttered something in his language before giving her what he owed her. “Thanks for doing this, Mirage. I’ll make sure to tell people you’re the one to call for things like this.” Then he was off, leaving Naili to count the money. It was more than what they said they would pay, making her smile.

“Another day’s work,” she sighed, walking to the docks where she had left her ship, the Kashvi. She had named it in honor of her sister, who she had yet to find. Suddenly, she was knocked to the ground, her helmet flying off in the process. She turned sharply towards her attacker, preparing to curse them out, but stopped when she saw it was Aurra Sing. “What do you want?” She sighed, dusting herself off.

“You got in my way,” the woman sneered.

“Well, you shouldn’t have gotten in mine! That was my hunt fair and square, why would you even want it?” She crossed her arms.

“Because you’re Naili, and I didn’t want you to have any credit. Haven’t we already established I don’t like you?” Aurra poked her in the chest. “The only reason I’m not killing you right now is because there are police around.”

“Why can’t we just hunt in peace, Aurra? I haven’t even done anything to you. Do something like that again and you’ll find a blaster bolt through your head,” she warned, glaring at her with a fierce intensity.

“Fine then, I’ll just be on my way. See you around little one,” she taunted, sauntering away to go bother someone else. Naili scoffed, deciding she wasn’t worth it, and boarded her ship. It was time to go to Florrum, where Embo and her friends were waiting. Hondo and his band of pirates had invited them to a banquet. She didn’t trust him, but she wouldn’t pass up free food, so she set a course for the planet.

As if he knew she was thinking about him, Embo’s figure appeared by hologram. “Naili, I see you’ve finished your hunt. Are you coming to Florrum now?” Ever since he took her in, she’d been able to learn his language just from listening to him. Now, she was almost entirely fluent.

“Mhm, I’m in hyperspace now. It went smoothly, but it would’ve been perfect if Aurra hadn’t shown herself,” she rolled her eyes.

“Aurra Sing? She’s a dangerous woman, Naili. Are you okay?” He began searching for wounds even though he wasn’t physically there.

“Yes nerra, I’m fine. She barely did anything to me,” Naili smiled.

“Alright, I’ll stop nagging you. Get here quickly. Hondo is pouring the drinks,” Embo accepted a cup of something from someone that was offscreen.

“I’m not far, so I should be there in an hour or so.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” the Kyuzo chuckled before hanging up. Naili set the ship to autopilot and put her feet up on the dashboard, sighing in content. She loved being alone after a hunt, but sometimes she wished she had someone to talk to. She could’ve kept Embo on the line, but she figured he wanted to relax. Maybe she could’ve taken in a pet, like how her friend kept Marrok, but she was too busy to house a creature on board.

She did have a few friends ride with her a few times, but that was only because their ships had been damaged. “Stars, maybe I should invest in a pet,” she chuckled as she caught herself jumping at a few small noises. She sighed and got out her knife from her hidden holster on her thigh. Since she had nothing better to do, she decided to sharpen it. She did this and other activities to pass the time, and before she knew it, she was landing on Florrum.

The first thing she noticed was that Hondo’s base was in shambles. Instead of it being a grand collection of pirates and money, it looked as if someone had ransacked it. She stepped off the ramp and walked over to Sugi, who was waiting for her. “What in the world happened here?” Naili put her hands on her hips.

“Hondo will tell you,” the Zabrak jerked a thumb behind her. “It looks like we might have two dangerous people on the loose.”

“Sounds like nothing we can’t handle,” she scoffed. Sugi just gave her a look she couldn’t decipher, so she decided to follow her inside. It looked like a mess out there, but here was a party fit for a king. Hondo was dancing (very badly, she noticed) on the table with a girl attached to his hip. When he spotted her, he raised a glass in celebration.

“Naili, my dear, you came! I knew you missed me,” he laughed.

“Keep telling yourself that, Hondo. The only reason I’m here is because you’ve got good food,” she rolled her eyes at his antics. “You got yourself a friend there, I see. I wonder how Aurra will appreciate you dancing with another girl,” she teased. At that, he got down off the table and strolled over to where she was standing.

“Naili, I certainly don’t miss your threats. Come, have a drink with us!” He slung an arm over her shoulders.

“Hondo, what happened here? The place is a dump,” she grimaced at one of the pirates vomiting in the corner.

“Ah, you should’ve seen them! Two lightsaber-wielding crazies attacked my camp and were about to steal my men. It was horrible!” Hondo whined dramatically.

“Jedi?” She frowned. She didn’t think Jedi would do something like this, but if they now resorted to violence, she had to be careful.

“No. My Jedi friend Kenobi said they were Sith, whatever that means. They looked like her,” he pointed to Sugi. Zabraks who were force-sensitive? That could be catastrophic, especially since she knew how mysterious their species could be. Dathomir was already too much of a dangerous place, so who knows what could’ve come crawling from there?

“Okay, maybe Sugi was right about them being dangerous. People who wield the Force aren’t people you wanna mess with, Hondo,” she warned.

“Aw, are you worried about me? That’s so sweet,” he clasped his hands and fluttered his eyelashes as if he were some lovestruck little girl. She almost laughed, but she wouldn’t give him that luxury, so she just pushed him off.

“In your dreams, Hondo,” she walked off to greet Embo, who had been eyeing her ever since she got here. “Hey, Em. I see you’re being a wallflower as usual,” she lightly punched his arm as a friendly gesture.

“Pirates are messy,” he grumbled.

“You can say that again. So, what do you think about two Zabrak Force users?” She crossed her arms.

“I’m not sure yet. For now, it doesn’t affect us, so I don’t think we should worry. It might get more Jedi out in the galaxy, though, which I don’t like.”

“I agree. We should be a bit more careful about who we should put our trust in, especially since you’ve been allies with the Jedi before.”

“Don’t worry, little sister, they can’t catch me that easily,” he chuckled.

“Yeah, I know, you’re experienced and cautious. Still, I worry.” Embo was like a brother to her. He had been her family ever since she lost hers, so the thought of him getting captured or worse was unsettling. She didn’t need another person she cared about to be lost to her. As if he was reading her thoughts, the Kyuzo moved in front of her and gently set a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m not going anywhere, Naili. You won’t lose me, that’s a promise,” he uttered softly.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get all…attached again,” she avoided his gaze.

“Don’t apologize, young one,” he shook his head. “You’re allowed to be worried sometimes. Besides, that’s what family does,” he smiled. She puffed out a laugh and finally looked up at him. He patted her head fondly, knowing she didn’t like PDA around people she had to act tough for.

“Embo!” Sugi appeared next to them. “We got another job. Assassination,” she explained. “Are you coming, Naili?”

“I think I might pass today. I have a weird feeling that I need to lay low at the base for a couple days. Aurra tried to steal one of my hunts again today and I don’t want her on my tail.”

“That’s a good idea. See you around,” she waved as she walked off. Embo tipped his hat to her and followed the Zabrak.

“Naili, you’re not staying for a drink? Maybe something more?” He eyed her up and down.

“Ugh, no thank you. I’m leaving, Hondo. Enjoy the party,” she ignored his wolf whistles and boarded her ship. It was going to be a long way home.

Chapter Text

Space was boring. It was cold, dark, and quiet, things Naili had grown to despise over the years. Her first meeting with the stars had been an exciting event, one that promised adventure and freedom. Now, it was unbelievably bland. She knew every constellation and planet by heart, as she had to study them when training to be a bounty hunter. Not only that, but its unpredictability unnerved her. Prepare for the unexpected, or you may not survive, Embo’s words echoed in her mind.

Maybe she should’ve taken Sugi’s offer to go with them. It would’ve been better than sitting alone, waiting until she arrived on Jaresh. Then again, she would be doing the same thing there as she was here. The only difference being, she would’ve had company. Naili sighed and leaned back in her seat, tipping her head back to look at the ceiling. Her thoughts drifted to her home world, Ryloth, and the memories that came with it.

She knew she had been happy there, but she was beginning to lose those glimpses of her past in the far reaches of her mind. She didn’t even remember what her parents looked like anymore. The only thing that stayed with her was her sister. Kashvi had been so full of life, eager to learn and show off her skills, and knew how to brighten a person’s day. Naili got emotional just thinking about her. “Someday, Kashvi. I’ll find you someday,” she promised.

A sudden explosion coming from behind her rocked her to her core. Warnings flashed on the screen, telling her that one of her engines had been damaged. “What the-“ she frantically moved about the cabin, trying to see what had hit her ship. That’s when she spotted familiar markings. “Aurra,” she growled.

Naili quickly hopped in her seat and piloted her ship to face Aurra’s, immediately opening fire. She opened a line of communication and shouted, “What in the kriffing moons do you want, Aurra Sing?! Why are you attacking me?”

“Didn’t you hear the news? You’re famous now, and the price on your head will make me rich,” the Palliduvan cackled.

“What are you talking about?”

“Jabba’s looking for you, little skug,” she spoke menacingly. Naili widened her eyes, flashes of her time at Jabba’s palace flooding her brain. That wasn’t possible. He’d stopped looking for her months ago, why was she all of a sudden on his radar again? This wasn’t good. She was in too much danger, now.

“You can tell that slimy pig that I’m done working for him!”

“Aw, too bad, because he misses his favorite pet,” Aurra grunted, firing at her. Luckily, the shields kept it from sustaining any significant damage, but they wouldn’t hold for long. She sharply spun around, holding down the trigger. Aurra had been annoying her for months, but she didn’t think anything of it at first. Now, she was becoming a dangerous enemy, especially since she just threatened to sell her back into slavery.

“I don’t understand, how could you support such a heinous crime?” Naili narrowly dodged a shot.

“A girl’s gotta eat,” was all she said before firing once again. More alarms rang out throughout the ship, letting her know that if she didn’t find a planet soon, she would be floating in space.

“Alright, that’s it,” Naili muttered. She activated both of her laser cannons and began ruthlessly shooting at the Palliduvan. She smiled as Aurra exclaimed in surprise. She managed to successfully hit the other woman’s ship, making her spin out of control. She didn’t anticipate, however, for the hunter to fire a small torpedo right into her engine before blasting away. “Blast!” The Twi’lek cried, desperately trying to keep from crashing into any asteroids.

Her ship was going up into flames, smoke billowing out from her engines as they tried to hold her steady. “This is not good,” she frowned. If she broke down in the middle of nowhere, Jabba was bound to find her. She got up and looked around, searching for a moon or other planets to land on. Just when she thought it was a lost cause, a blueish-gray planet came into view. It was covered in clouds, and was in the middle of nowhere, but she had to land somewhere.

An explosion rocked the hull, but still she held on, trying to at least land without hurting herself. As she sped into the atmosphere, the ship began burning up, causing more warning signs to flash across the screen. Naili grit her teeth and braced herself for the upcoming impact, which was coming up quickly. The flight became bumpier as she hit multiple rock formations. She yelled in dismay as she was thrown onto the ground, hitting her head in the process. The last thing she heard before passing out was the sound of her ship crashing into the ground.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

“Naili, I don’t understand, why are there people trying to hurt us?” Kashvi wiped her tears as she clung onto her sister.

“I don't know,” Naili frowned. She tried to calm her sister’s cries, but it wasn’t working all that well. At that moment, their parents came bursting through the door, their faces covered in fear.

“Naili, Kashvi, there’s no time to explain, but you must run far away from here,” Darap gripped Naili’s shoulders. In the background, blaster fire sounded through the air.

“No, I won’t leave you!” Kashvi ran to her mother.

“You must, young one. We can’t protect you right now. Rely on the skills we taught you to stay alive,” Suka tried everything she could to keep the tears at bay.

“Keep each other safe, do not split up,” Darap warned sternly. Naili didn’t understand, but she knew she had to protect her sister.

“Kashvi, we have to-“

“Hey, where do you four think you’re going?” A man with a blaster threatened.

“Please, spare us! We haven’t done any-“ a bolt shot straight through his head, killing Darap instantly. As Naili began screaming…

She woke up, the scream still on her tongue. Her senses were immediately flooded with the beeps and whirrs of machines. A droid was carefully putting a bacta patch on her temple, ignoring her struggles. The sound of a tent flapping turned her attention to the front of the…room? Oh, an actual tent. She flinched away from the touch of the droid, untrusting of its attempts at healing her. Where was she?

A prick to her arm set her off. She jumped off the table she was on, ripping her arms away from the droids trying to hold her back. They beeped in protest, probably alerting its owner. Once she was free, she ran out of the tent, stopping in her tracks at what lay before her. She had somehow landed in a camp full of Mandalorians it looked like. Their armor was blue and grey, similar to the planet she was on. She had only interacted with a Mandalorian once, and now she was in possession of his helmet.

“Hey, stop!” One of them shouted. Two others that were near her spotted her and began reaching to grab her. She shoved them off and sprinted towards the exit of the camp. She dodged any shots aimed her way to the best of her abilities, ignoring their demands for her to stop. A woman with red hair suddenly appeared in front of her and grabbed her arm.

“Let go of me!” Naili snarled, sweeping her leg under the woman’s feet to knock her over. As she fell with the Mandalorian, she somersaulted to release herself.

“Wait, we’re trying to-“ she didn’t get to finish as she watched Naili run closer to the exit. The Twi’lek looked back and smirked, watching as the whole camp stopped. Wait, they were stopping? She froze in her tracks…against her will. She grunted in pain, the invisible force tightening on her body.

“What’s going on?” She grit out. The sound of heavy footsteps grew louder as someone walked into her field of vision. Nail widened her eyes as she looked upon a crimson Zabrak, his hands folded behind his back. His yellow eyes searched her own, his face radiating barely contained confusion.

“Who are you?” He asked. His voice was deep but had a velvety smoothness to it that scared her.

“Are you the guy that captured me? Who are you people? Where am I? How did I get here?” The questions flowed out of her effortlessly.

“We are Death Watch,” another voice sounded from behind her. A man with a long scar running down his cheek stood near her and raised a brow. “We found you and your ship that crashed a few clicks from here.” The invisible force disappeared, allowing her to move freely.

“You rescued me?” She clenched her fists, still on edge.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you before you ran off,” the woman with red hair glared. Naili frowned, trying to remember what happened.

“Aurra Sing shot me down,” she explained with anger. The man hummed, going quiet for a moment before turning to the woman beside him.

“Bo, show our guest back to the tent. She needs to be properly healed,” he gently pushed her towards the woman called Bo. Naili begrudgingly complied, knowing she had no other choice. Before she left, she shared a glance with the intimidating Zabrak, who was looking at her with interest.

“What is Death Watch?” She asked the red-head.

“We are the true Mandalorians who haven’t forgotten our warrior heritage,” was all she said, not willing to share their mission to a total stranger.

“How did you find me?”

“A crashing ship isn’t hard to miss,” Bo chuckled. When they got back to the tent, she finally saw the gigantic yellow Zabrak that was sprawled out on the table next to her.

“Who is that?”

“You ask too many questions,” Bo led her to the table, where the droids were waiting for her.

“I think I deserve answers,” she crossed her arms, not willing to sit down just yet. Bo sighed and set her helmet down.

“You don’t need to know of our mission. We’ll provide you with medicine and supplies to repair your ship, but that’s it. You’ll be out of here in no time. Now let the droids do their work. When you’re finished, come find me,” she put her helmet back on before stepping outside. Naili huffed and let the droids do her thing, occasionally glancing at the passed out Zabrak beside her. Now that she thought about it, Hondo did say two Zabraks attacked his camp. Maybe these two were it. If it was a coincidence, it was a pretty good one.

That led her to wonder what these Mandalorians were doing out here, and why they were helping two creatures that were most likely much stronger than them. “Ow!” She complained as one of the droids stuck her with a needle. “Hey, what’s in that?”

“Pain medication,” it droned.

“Well, I thank you for your help, but I’m leaving,” she declared, not waiting for them to finish dressing her mild lacerations. Right when she got up, the red Zabrak walked in, freezing when he caught sight of her. “Lemme guess, you’re stuck here, too,” she scoffed.

“Not for long,” he replied, walking over to check on his friend. Even though he was intimidating, there was a genuine gentleness to his movements that intrigued her.

“So, did these guys find you out in space, too?”

“That is none of your concern,” he sneered. Naili rolled her eyes at his rudeness, but let it go. She couldn’t blame him. She, too, was wary of these people’s intentions, and she wasn’t so sure about him either.

“Can I at least get your name?” She leaned against the table. At first, he didn’t reply, which irritated the Twi’lek, but he eventually spoke.

“Maul,” he met her eyes.

“Interesting name. I’m Naili.” All he did in response was focus on his friend. “What’s your friend’s name?”

“Do you always talk this incessantly?” He growled, his voice taking on a dangerous tone.

“Well can you blame me? I crash land on a weird planet with these weird people, I have no way to contact my friends, and I’m stuck with a Force-wielding maniac!” She threw up her hands, uncaring of how silly she looked. She swore she heard him puff out the smallest of chuckles, but she quickly threw that idea away. She could already tell he was a big stick-in-the-mud. When it was getting too quiet, she sighed and walked out of the tent. Bo had said to come find her when she was all patched up.

Luckily, she wasn’t too far. “There you are. I’ll take you to your ship so you can assess the damage. We’ll give you some supplies to repair it if need be,” she explained.

“Perfect, lead the way.” The man with the scar had spoken the truth. Her ship really was only a few clicks away from the camp. Any further and she would’ve killed everyone here. Naili’s hope was that it wasn’t so damaged that she couldn’t fix it, but those dreams were quickly squashed. “This isn’t happening,” she groaned, massaging the bridge of her nose. The best way to explain the state of her ship was, if someone claimed the mountains had become sentient and decided to trample it, she would’ve believed them.

“You might be stuck here for a while,” Bo cringed. “I would offer one of ours, but we need them.”

“Great,” she sighed.

“Is this a YV-560 freighter?” Bo asked, running her hand along the side of the ship.

“Yes, she is,” Naili said proudly. “I won it from a pirate who claimed he knew how to play Dejarik better than me. He wasn’t happy that he lost both the game and the ship.”

“Hm, impressive,” she paused before putting her helmet on again. “Well, let’s see what we can give you to help repair this. We’ll also provide you with your own tent, seeing as how you’ll be here for a while.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it. I’ll leave as soon as I’m done with repairs, so don’t get attached,” she joked. Naili didn’t know it, but she had no idea that she would disregard her own words.

Chapter Text

Naili angrily fiddled with the tools Bo had given her. She wasn’t too happy that she didn’t know anything about these ‘true Mandalorians,’ or what they were planning. Her ability to trust was already at an all-time low; being thrown into the middle of what looked like a civil war caused her anxiety to skyrocket. On top of that, the Zabrak called Savage had woken up and he was much bigger than she once thought. If those two decided to go rogue, she would be in danger.

“You are a bounty hunter, are you not?” Maul asked from behind her. She jumped and turned to face him, her hand going to her blaster.

“I dunno, maybe,” she glared at him.

“Are you talented?”

“What is this, some sort of interview?” She scoffed, still keeping her weapon close.

“Answer the question,” he stepped closer to her.

“I answer to no one,” she stood tall, staring into his yellow eyes. Maul had been nothing but rude to her since her arrival and she was tired of it. Her anger had been climbing ever since she got stranded on this rock, and he wasn’t making it any easier. At her small outburst, the crimson Zabrak narrowed his eyes at her, trying to contain his disgust for the Twi’lek. Savage stood behind his brother, watching the exchange with some amusement. When Naili raised a brow and smirked, Maul snarled and walked away.

She guessed he wasn’t too happy about being stuck with these Mandalorians, either, but his temper hadn’t decreased at all since they met. It was both annoying and very amusing. Other than that, she had been conversing with Bo-Katan more than usual. Even though she didn’t want to admit it, she liked the woman. She liked how loyal she was to her leader, and how she was willing to do whatever it took to win back her home.

“It seems Maul doesn’t like you,” Bo chuckled as she walked up next to the Twi’lek.

“I don’t like him either. He thinks he’s better than everyone else and that irks me. He obviously wants to be in charge here with the way he orders your own leader around,” Naili scoffed as she watched him talk to Vizsla.

“Yeah, well, he’s a Sith, what can you expect?”

“What is a Sith, anyway?” Naili raised a brow.

“I don’t know much, but I do know they wield the dark side of the force. They’re basically complete opposites of Jedi,” she informed.

“As long as they don’t cause me any trouble, they can do whatever they want to the Jedi,” Naili scowled.

“You don’t like them, either, huh? Care to share?” Bo tilted her head questioningly.

“Not really.”

“Understandable,” the red-head replied. “I hope you get your ship fixed soon.” Naili nodded her head as a reply and walked off with her tools. She needed to spend a lot of time on her ship in order to keep herself busy. Boredom was starting to set in. Not only that, but her worry for her friends grew the longer she stayed on Zanbar. She wondered how Embo was doing. He was most likely worried sick about her once he found out she wasn’t in their shared home.

She sighed and turned around to grab her tools, only to almost smack into Maul himself. She yelped and jumped back before glaring at him. “Frotz, don’t you know not to sneak up on people like that?! What are you doing here anyway? Did you follow me?” She put her hands on her hips. Instead of answering, he wandered near her ship, feeling its sides as if he’d never seen one before. Naili was now even more confused than before.

“If you have acquired such a ship, then you must be skilled,” he hummed.

“Are you always this cryptic?” Naili rolled her eyes.

“You and I may be on opposing sides, but we both have a common enemy: the Jedi,” he finally looked her in the eye.

“What are you saying?”

“We may be able to help each other.” Was he recruiting her for a job? She doubted he had any money to pay her unless he was offering to give her something else. She admitted that this Sith intrigued her. She’d never met anyone like him before, but at the same time, he annoyed her to no end. Maybe it would be wise to play along, at least for now.

“Go on,” she began working on her ship.

“For my plans to be successful, I need an army. The only way I can recruit such people is if I have a person on the inside who knows their way around the underworld,” he explained.

“And you think because I’m a bounty hunter that I can provide you with information,” she paused her tinkering to look at him.

“Precisely,” he smiled. Naili pondered this for a moment. It was true she hated the Jedi, especially the ones regarded as ‘true heroes of the Republic.’ However, they never did anything to specifically hurt her personally. It had all been partially indirect. Then again, she could care less what this Sith Lord did to them. Maul seemed desperate to hurt these so-called heroes, though, which could only mean one thing.

“You have a personal grudge against them, don’t you?”

“What I feel towards the Jedi is nothing you should be concerned with,” he glared, his body going rigid at her accusation. This only proved her suspicions.

“I think it should be my business if you’re going to be my employer. I don’t just help anyone, no matter if we have a common enemy or not,” she turned back to her ship. “But I know you need me to get what you want, so you won’t leave me alone. If I’m going to help you, I need to hear more about your plans.” This was her strength. Haggling with someone was a skill she developed over the years, and she was incredibly good at it.

Maul studied her, growing increasingly frustrated that this was the only person around capable of bringing his plans to fruition. Considering his options, however, he knew he didn’t have that much of a choice. “To put it simply, I need power if I am to lure the Jedi into a trap. To get that power, I require an army that will heed my every command. These Mandalorians are hell-bent on reclaiming their home, so I will provide them with the means to do so.”

“That’s…actually a pretty good plan. Still, I don’t really see how I fit into the picture. Besides, this is your fight, not mine,” she picked up a tool to go back to fixing her ship. However, Maul used the force to snatch it out of her hands, taking the object for himself. “Hey, what-“

“Oh, I bet you have a past, bounty hunter,” he threw the tool on the ground and stalked over to her. Fear bloomed in her stomach, making her back up until she hit her downed ship. “I can feel your anger, your hatred and, yes, your fear. There are secrets you keep to yourself,” he closed his eyes. She suddenly felt a pressure on her temples. It felt like someone was digging through her mind with their fingers.

“Stay out of my head,” she grit her teeth, trying not to break eye contact with the man before her.

“Your feelings betray you,” he chuckled, the sound rumbling in his chest. “Ah, you have a sister.” That was the last straw. Naili grabbed his arm and attempted to twist it behind his back. He had anticipated this, however, so he dodged at the last minute. She clumsily threw punch after punch, aiming for his face, but her anger unbalanced her. He caught her fist in his hand, pushing down on her arm so hard that she fell on one knee.

“Let me go,” she practically whispered.

“I would suggest you do as I say. If you want to find your sister, you will have a better chance if you work for me. In exchange, I will help you repair your ship. Do we have a deal?” Naili strained against his grip, but it was no use. He had the upper hand, and she was losing terribly. She yelled in frustration and let her hand fall to her side.

“We have a deal,” she grumbled.

“Good,” Maul clasped his hands behind his back. “I will meet you here tomorrow morning to begin the repairs.” Then he was gone, leaving Naili to seethe in fury. She let out a scream, picking up a nearby rock and chucking it into the forest. She thought she was done working for people unwillingly, but apparently not. Now she had been forced to work with this Sith lord who thought he was above everyone else. What had she gotten herself into?

*****************************************************************************************************************************************************

“Kriffing hell!” Naili threw her wrench onto the ground and kicked the box of tools away childishly.

“I see the repairs are going well,” Bo laughed. Naili just huffed and sank down on the ground, leaning on her ship. “We have some food back at camp if you want to eat. It’s not much, but it’ll keep you from going hungry.”

“Why did I have to crash on this planet and get stuck here with that schutta?” She complained to nobody in particular. Bo chuckled again and moved to sit beside her.

“Yeah, I don’t like Maul either, but we have to work with him if we wanna take back Mandalore,” she sighed.

“Why can’t you just fight against him? You outnumber him,” Naili furrowed her brow.

“Because as much as I hate to admit it, we need him. He’s a powerful ally, even if he is a pain in the ass.” Naili laughed at the red-head’s words.

“At least he’s helping me repair my ship,” the Twi’lek sighed.

“Really? You guys must’ve made a deal,” she quirked a brow in suspicion.

“Yeah, against my will. You weren’t kidding when you said he was powerful,” she rubbed her knuckles when she remembered how he gripped her hand in his.

“He must’ve offered you something valuable for you to agree to help him, then. Mind sharing?”

“No, sorry. It’s kind of personal,” Naili shook her head.

“It’s alright, I understand. Now, do you want some food or not?” At the mention of eating, her stomach gave a low growl.

“Yes, please,” she chuckled as she followed Bo to the camp. Bo-Katan was right, the food consisted mostly of ration packs, but it was better than nothing. Her tent still wasn’t ready yet, so she sat down near some crates that she pulled together to make a table. In the middle of her meal, she spotted Maul and Savage nearing her. “Oh great, here comes the dynamic duo to spoil my dinner,” she said loudly. Savage growled but stopped when his brother held up a hand.

“I assume you haven’t forgotten our deal?” Maul smiled smugly.

“How could I forget? I’m getting a bruise,” she scoffed, turning back to her meal. “I assume you haven’t forgotten you’re helping me with my ship tomorrow. If you want me to go searching for an army, I’m gonna need a ride.”

“Yes, a most unfortunate outcome,” he frowned. Stars, he was so dramatic it made her want to gouge her eyes out.

“Good, now go away. You’re making me lose my appetite.”

“Oh no, you misunderstand. If we are to be helping each other, we’re going to have to work much more closely from now on,” he smirked. With that, he and Savage sat down with her to eat their meal. They both looked very proud of themselves at how much they were annoying Naili right now.

“No, go ahead, be my guest,” she said sarcastically. The brothers ignored her, choosing to focus on their meager meal.

“Brother, are you sure this one will be of use to us? She is weak-minded.” Oh boy, this was going to be a long few weeks.

Chapter Text

The sun was just barely over the horizon when Naili awoke. Her tent had been finished after dinner yesterday, so she finally got to sleep alone. Pulling on her clothes and boots, she stepped outside, glad to see only a few Mandalorians were out and about. She glanced over to the medical tent, where Maul and Savage slept. Luckily, she didn’t see either one of them outside yet. She had wanted to get up before Maul, just so she could spite him. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to piss off a Sith Lord, but she didn’t care.

The walk to her ship was short, but it allowed her to think about all that had transpired. Her worries were far from over, but she was in a calm mood right now, so she decided to not think too much about the situation she was in. Her ship, The Kashvi, was right where she left it, along with the tools Bo allowed her to borrow. “Well, I better get to work,” she sighed, crawling under it so she could open up the panels. The undercarriage was a mess of wires and leaking fluid, making her groan in frustration. She definitely had her work cut out for her.

As she worked, she hummed a Twi’lek lullaby to help her control her temper. There were already too many things irking her at the moment, so blowing up was not going to help her get out of here. However, the more times she failed in her work, the more her anger was close to boiling over. As she muttered a string of curses in her language, she felt a tap on her foot. There was only one being she knew that had cybernetic legs like that. Naili stifled a groan and shimmied her way out from under the Kashvi. “Well, you sure do keep your promises,” she crossed her arms.

“We had a deal,” Maul deadpanned.

“I just happened to wake up earlier, so what? Now, are you gonna help or just stand there?” She tossed him another wrench, which he caught with ease. She heard him sigh before walking up to her.

“We should start with the most damaged place,” Maul suggested.

“It seems to me that every part is the most damaged,” she frowned.

“I despise this as much as you, but if you want to leave this planet, I suggest you cooperate,” he growled, angrily moving closer to her.

“Ugh, fine,” she rolled her eyes. “I was working on the panels under the ship. The fuel line is leaking from there.” Maul nodded and began working with her instead of against her. They never conversed with each other, only speaking when one of them needed a certain tool or a helping hand. It went like this for a few hours before they finally repaired the fuel line. “Finally!” Naili cried, smiling as she wiped her forehead of the sweat accumulating there.

She ran up the ramp to test out the engine, celebrating when it turned on for a fraction of a second. “That is not worthy of praise. We still have a long way to go,” Maul leaned against the doorframe.

“Have a little optimism, would you? This means that the fuel is restored, which will make it easier to fix the engine.”

“I know what it means,” he frowned.

“Just open the floor panels,” she pointed to the ground a few feet from where he was standing. “How’s it look?”

“Not good,” he gazed up at her. “The hyperdrive is severely damaged, along with the navigation and power lines. You may be stuck here longer than you originally planned to be.”

“Oh, is that all?” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Ryma gesu afa karawn,” (Mother give me strength) she whined, her accent shining through. At this, Maul tilted his head in curiosity, which went unnoticed by Naili. “Okay, what looks the most broken?”

“The hyperdrive,” he stated.

“Alright, then let’s start on that,” she put her hands on her hips and cracked her neck. Maul stayed where he was, waiting for her to hand him the proper tools. Naili sat down next to the open panels, watching him work for a while. “So, your brother,” she started, “he’s a lot bigger than you. And you two don’t look much alike, except maybe for the eyes.”

“Why is this an important question?” He grumbled.

“Hey, I’m trying to be a civil person and make conversation. I guess you don’t know how to do that,” she shrugged, ignoring the look he gave her. “Why do you call him an apprentice, anyway? He calls you brother, but you don’t. Is that a Zabrak thing?” Once again, he didn’t answer. “Also, how did you end up with cybernetic legs?”

“Will you please stop talking?” He straightened up to look her in the eye. “Why do you have the urge to ask such personal questions? You work for me. We are not allies, nor are we friends, so stop acting like we’re on the same side!”

“Well sorry for trying to be civilized. Ever since we met you’ve done nothing but treat me like I’m some sort of animal! I don’t like you, but I’ve at least tried to get along, unlike you. Yes, I did agree to work for you, but I don’t just blindly follow orders like some droid. I like to be seen as an equal, thank you very much!” The more Naili yelled, the more her accent would become prominent, signifying how angry she was.

“We are not equals,” Maul got closer to her face. “You are nothing more than a servant. I am a Sith. I hold the power of the dark side in my hands. You have nothing, and you will never be more than nothing.” His words stung. They were the same things her masters used to tell her back on Zygerria. Maul didn’t know it, but he had just opened the floodgates to numerous awful memories. She still stared him straight in the eye, however, even if she could feel the tears welling up.

Her slight reaction surprised him to an extent. He had expected her to shout, scream, or curse him out in Twi’leki. Instead, she lowered her head, cleared her throat, and walked out of the ship. He was left alone to ponder why she had become so submissive all of a sudden. Naili, on the other hand, had to step away for a few minutes. She would not let herself cry in front of Maul of all people. She would not let him see that he got to her. She furiously wiped her eyes and tried swallowing down the lump in her throat.

Once she thought she was calm enough, she took a deep breath and went back inside. Maul was still tinkering away, but turned his attention to her when she walked inside. “Move, I’ll do the fixing this time,” she demanded. For some reason, Maul obliged. The rest of the day, they didn’t speak one word to each other. It was the same at dinner, too. Although, they refused to sit next to one another. Savage wondered what had happened between the two, but he also didn’t care enough to ask. They were already at odds, anyway.

Maul and Naili’s routine was the same the next day. They worked on the ship together but did not speak. Both were too caught up in their own egos to realize that they needed to do more than just tolerate the other. They continued like this throughout the next few days, however, uncaring if it was detrimental to their situations.

This carried on until one morning, Naili decided to wake up before the sun rose. She wanted to blow off some steam, and the best way to do that was train with her secret weapon. When she got to the Kashvi, she entered her quarters, where she pulled out a vibrosword from a hidden compartment under the bed. She activated the blade, smiling as she felt its energy lightly vibrating the handle. After a nasty defeat by a hunter wielding a lightsaber, she had equipped her sword with a cortosis weave just in case she had to face someone like that again. Now, it was a very powerful weapon.

Using some scraps to make a dummy, she began practicing her blade skills. She didn’t actually hit the object, as she wanted there to be something for her to practice on. Naili swung the blade left and right, sometimes adding a kick to ‘stun’ her enemy. She practiced blocks, parries, and dodges. She tried holding the handle in various ways, including a backwards style. By the time the sky started to turn the tiniest bit of orange, she was covered in sweat.

“You know, it’s better if you’re actually sparring with someone,” Maul’s voice rang through the air. Naili jumped, her blade slipping from her hand.

“Tch, who am I gonna spar with, you?” She curled her lip in disgust. As a response, he activated his lightsaber, getting into a defensive position.

“Can your blade handle a lightsaber?” he stalked over to her.

“Why don’t you come and find out?” She charged at him, swinging her blade over her head in a downward strike. Maul blocked it easily and dodged her next attack simply by sidestepping out of the way.

“Your form is sloppy,” he pointed out. Naili yelled in anger, charging at him with her sword. Again, he dodged it, kicking her back to throw her off balance. “Your anger is unbalancing you.”

“Then stop talking!” She cried, attempting to stab him in the side. He met the attack with his lightsaber, swinging upwards and forcing her to crouch low to the ground as he hit her blade multiple times. Before they could clash again, Naili rolled out of the way in order to start again. This time, she was on the defense as Maul mercilessly toyed with her. She had to constantly dodge, parry, and block his attacks, sometimes almost dropping her sword in the process. She was getting exhausted, her weapon becoming heavy in her hands. When their blades clashed once more, she let herself fall to the ground.

Maul raised his lightsaber to her neck, letting her know he had the upper hand. “You’ve been beaten,” he smirked.

“No, really?” Her voice took on a sarcastic tone. “Just forget it, I didn’t wanna spar anyway.” She knew she was being childish, but she was tired, hot, and hungry, which wasn’t a good combination. Maul took a seat beside her and chuckled.

“I would say your anger rivals mine and yet, I am more skilled with a blade,” he hummed.

“Yeah, thanks for rubbing that in,” she picked the grass and twisted it in between her fingers.

“I could teach you.”

“Why the sudden interest in my abilities? You said it yourself; I’ll never be more than nothing,” she avoided his gaze.

“Because when your ship is repaired, you’re going to need to know how to survive.”

“Excuse me?” Naili glared at him. “All I’ve ever done for my whole life is survive. That’s all I know how to do, so don’t lecture me about skill! I’ve been doing just fine on my own. I don’t need some wannabe Sith to teach me how to swing a blade!”

“Why do you do that?” He asked calmly.

“Do what?” She planted her fists on her hips.

“You have an accent when you’re angry.” His observation caught her off guard, her anger decreasing.

“What? I don’t know, it just does. Twi’leki is my mother tongue, so my accent is bound to come out sometimes. Why is that relevant to the argument?”

“It was simply an observation,” he stood up, offering a hand. Naili found it strange how he was acting like an ally, or dare she say, a friend to her. She glanced between his hand and his face for a few moments before accepting his help. “Now, instead of playing with swords, why don’t we focus on repairs?” They did just that for the next couple of hours. Only this time, there wasn’t as much hostility between them as usual.

When it was nearing lunchtime, Naili and Maul had finished fixing the hyperdrive. Naili was starting to repair the navigation system when a clatter from her quarters caught her attention. She briefly abandoned her project to go investigate. Maul was in her room, thoughtfully staring down at something on her datapad. “Who is this?” He wondered aloud. That’s when Naili noticed he had found a picture of Kashvi that she had drawn almost a year and a half ago.

“Give that back!” She reached for the datapad, but he dodged her attempt. The Twi’lek dropped open her mouth in shock before attempting to snatch it away once more. The Zabrak raised his arm, looking down at her in amusement. “This isn’t funny, that’s my personal property. You have no right to look at it!”

“Did you draw this?” He stepped out of the way to escape her clutches.

“None of your business, now give it to me.” She elbowed him in the stomach, allowing her to grab it from him as he hunched over in surprise. She stared at the picture for a moment before shaking away any memories that started to resurface.

“That’s your sister, isn’t it?” He assumed. Her silence only confirmed his words. “You and I may be more alike than I anticipated.”

“We are nothing alike,” she whipped around to face him. He held his hands up in surrender, smirking at her reaction.

“Why does that offend you? We certainly have the same anger.”

“Yeah, well, unlike you, I don’t have my sibling with me,” she furrowed her brow. Naili turned away from him, feeling a lump forming in her throat. What was with her lately? She hadn’t felt emotional since Embo had first found her. She thought she had buried these feelings long ago, why were they suddenly popping up now?

“If you must know, I wasn’t aware I had a brother until he found me a month or so ago. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be standing here talking to you,” he crossed his arms.

“Was that an attempt at making me feel better?” she gave him the smallest of smiles.

“No,” he quickly denied, but had no further argument to back it up. She studied his figure before letting out a soft ‘hm’ and walking out of the ship.

“Come on, let’s take a break. I think we both need it.” Maul followed her out of the Kashvi, straightening when he saw Savage heading towards them.

“Brother, I brought you and Naili a meal,” he gestured to the food in his hands. Naili thought it was sweet how the bigger Zabrak was always trying to impress his brother.

“That’s sweet, Savage, thank you,” she smiled, taking the food from him. Maybe if she acted really nice, they could be friends. She sat down, leaning against one of the crates near the ship. “Well, are you two gonna join me or not?” The brothers gave each other a glance before obliging her request.

“It seems the repairs are going smoothly,” Savage pointed out.

“Yep, we only have a couple more things to fix and then she’ll be up and running! If it wasn’t for your brother, here, this would’ve gone a lot slower,” Naili nudged Maul in the side. He flinched away from her touch and glared at her but made no move to retaliate.

“The only reason I’m helping you is because we have a deal,” he sneered.

“Yeah, I know, you only mentioned it a million times,” she shook her head exasperatedly.

“Brother, what of our plans? These Mandalorians are wanting to execute the plan as soon as possible,” Savage interrupted their bantering.

“Unfortunately, we cannot go through with the plan until Naili’s ship is repaired. She will act as a spy in the underworld, reporting any promising figures that may be willing to form an alliance,” Maul explained.

“I still can’t believe you actually trust me to do this for you,” Naili scoffed.

“Trust is not the right word. You are a neutral party, and you are a bounty hunter. You don’t have loyalty to anyone, unless they give you the right price,” he glowered down at her.

“You’re only half right, there, but I won’t bore you with the details of how I operate.”

“You do have loyalty?” Savage asked, surprised.

“You could say that. Maul is right in saying I’m neutral about this whole thing, but when I do my work, I don’t just accept bounties from anyone. I specialize in hunting slavers and traffickers, and sometimes I’ll do a hunt for free,” she smiled as she remembered one specific bounty where she reunited a little girl with her parents.

“So you are what they call a ‘righteous’ bounty hunter,” Maul raised a brow ridge in curiosity.

“No, not at all. I’ve killed and done things I’m not proud of, but I had to survive somehow.”

“I was correct, then. You do have a past. Something happened to you that warranted you to do these things,” he let out a low chuckle. “We are similar, you and I.” Naili wanted to disagree with him, but she found it wasn’t that simple. Maul had a past as well, a tough one by the looks of it. Even if she claimed he knew nothing about what she had gone through, that was most likely a lie. There was a story beneath all of that rage, and she wanted to find out what it was.

Chapter Text

As the Mandalorians’ plans became more fleshed out, Maul and Naili’s progress on the ship was more successful than the past few days. Instead of constantly arguing, they cooperated, which made the repairs go by much faster. Sometimes Savage would come by to help where he could, but most of the time his brother would send him back to check on the Mandalorians. Naili thought that was a little insensitive, but she never commented on it simply because it wasn’t her business.

She did like the yellow Zabrak, though. She appreciated how much he was trying to look out for his brother, even if Maul was taking him for granted. She would try to converse with him when she wasn’t working on the ship, which always turned out well. Savage was better at communicating than his brother, which made it easier to like him. Naili would go so far to say that she considered him a friend. Their talks weren’t all that long, but she always learned something new about him, and vice versa.

Maul, on the other hand, had been less snappy with her than usual. Still, she could tell he was slightly annoyed by her jokes or attempts at getting him to talk about his past. He did agree to spar with her, however, which helped her gain more sword-fighting skills. Besides, she loved teasing him whenever they fought. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea, but at this point she didn’t care. It caused him to not go too easy on her, anyway, so in her book it was a win-win.

They still had arguments now and then, which were always extremely heated. They got so mad at each other one time that they had a real fight instead of sparring. Savage had to break them apart, while the Mandalorians just egged them on. That day, Maul’s brother had to work on the ship with her just so she could cool off. They had gotten the attention of Vizsla, who sternly told them if they caused any more trouble, the deal with Maul would be off.

“He’s just so..ugh, I can’t describe it!” Naili vented to Bo one day after their fight. “He irritates me like no other being has, and that’s saying a lot. My ship is so close to being done, but if I spend any more time with him, I think I’ll explode!” She yelled, aiming her blaster and hitting multiple targets she had set up.

“I thought you two were getting along,” Bo raised a brow.

“I thought so too, but I guess not.”

“Me and my sister used to fight like this all the time, back when she was starting to rule Mandalore,” the red-head spoke in a wistful tone.

“Your sister is Duchess Satine Kryze?” Naili lowered her blaster. Now that she thought about, it made sense. Just from that information alone, she could tell what they had fought about.

“Yes, unfortunately. But my point is, don’t let your arguments keep you from forming a friendship. My sister and I could’ve made it work, but it didn’t turn out that way. You and Maul still have time,” Bo smiled.

“I don’t know if I wanna form a friendship with him. I mean, he’s a Sith Lord, and I’m a civilian in his eyes. Besides, he’s supposed to be my employer,” she shot one of the targets.

“Didn’t you say many of your previous employers became your allies?”

“Exactly, allies. Not friends. That would make things way too complicated. I would rather keep feelings out of my job,” Naili sighed.

“Hm, I can see your point. Well, friends or not, making peace with Maul may be a good idea. You don’t want his kind of power haunting you,” Bo slipped her helmet back on. “It’s something to think about.” As she walked away, Naili knew that the woman was right. Staying enemies was not a good idea. If she had a literal Sith on her tail for the rest of her life, things would turn out badly.

“This is stupid,” she groaned before getting up and making the short journey to her ship. When she arrived, she noticed Savage was talking to Maul. Whatever they were saying was making the red Zabrak irritated. When they saw her, however, Savage dismissed himself, leaving the two rivals alone. At first, Maul ignored her, choosing to pretend to be busy with something on the side of the ship. “Look, Maul, we’re just gonna have to tolerate each other until this whole thing blows over, alright?” Naili crossed her arms.

“I…agree,” he muttered.

“Good, so then why is it so hard?”

“Truthfully, I don’t know,” Maul’s shoulders slumped, a rare show of tiredness. Naili sighed and sat down against the Kashvi, Maul following suit. “What does Kashvi mean?” He asked suddenly.

“Oh, um,” Naili paused, about to shrug him off, but remembered what Bo said to her a little bit ago. “It’s just a name. It was my, uh…my sister’s name,” she twisted the grass in between her fingers.

“Oh,” he nodded.

“We got separated when we were young. I still haven’t found her,” she stared at the ground, not daring to look him in the eye.

“My master took me away from my home when I was young. The only difference is, my brother found me,” he confessed.

“Your master?”

“I was once an apprentice to the most powerful Sith in the galaxy. He was the only father I ever knew, although I never thought of him like that,” he frowned, his voice taking on an angry tone.

“I had a master, too. Well, various masters actually,” she dryly laughed. Naili froze up as she admitted that. She never once told anyone about her past except for Embo. Not even Hondo or Sugi knew what had happened to her. Why did she imply it to Maul? Maybe she could understand what he went through to an extent. Yeah, that had to be it.

“You were a-“

“Don’t. Say it,” she held up a hand and stood. “I don’t even know why I told you that. Just forget it.” Naili wrapped her arms around her middle, trying hard to choke down any emotions that were pushing their way to the surface. She hated this. She hated being vulnerable, especially around someone she didn’t know that well.

“I, too, was used. The Sith cast me aside as soon as I was unworthy in their eyes. They made me believe I had a greater purpose. All those years spent trying to please my master, and for what?” He clenched his fists, his tone rising with his anger.

“Hm, well, I guess we were both lied to,” she turned to look at him.

“I suppose so,” Maul answered softly. She smiled at him then, finally understanding why he was always so angry. He looked at her, a ghost of a smile appearing on his face. In this moment, he thought there may be a possibility they could get along. “Would you like to spar?”

“Let’s do it,” she grinned, activating her vibrosword.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

“You’re getting better,” Maul observed as Naili fell onto the ground for the fifth time.

“Are you sure about that? I feel like you’re just saying that to make me feel better,” she grumbled, accepting his hand so he could pull her up.

“Your defense is considerably better than when we last fought. All you need to do is fix your stance when on the offense.” He widened his legs, showing her how to be fully balanced.

“Okay,” she said, copying him. “Let’s try again.” Maul charged at her once more, chuckling when she tried executing an advanced move instead of doing as he had instructed. As a result, she fell again. Naili groaned and didn’t move from her spot, choosing to lay on the ground.

“Whatever, I give up. You’re an incredible swordsman, I could never beat you,” she ran her hands over her face in frustration.

“I’m not asking for you to defeat me in battle, I’m asking you to do better at defending yourself,” he sat down beside her and sighed. “You’re trying to move forward too fast. You are unbalanced.”

“But I don’t wanna slow down, I want to get better quickly so I have a higher chance at living,” she huffed.

“Naili, you must be patient. Learning to calm yourself is the best way to move forward in your training,” he advised. Naili sat up on her hands, quirking an eyebrow at him. “What?”

“Nothing, it’s just, that’s what my mother used to say to me when she was teaching me how to hunt,” she smiled.

“Well, if you won’t listen to me, listen to your mother’s advice,” he gave her the tiniest of smiles.

“Was that a smile I saw?” Naili decided to tease him. Maul grumbled, standing up and turning his back on her. “Come on, I know what I saw. You’re beginning to tolerate me, huh?” She laughed as he glared at her. “Cut that out, I’m just teasing. When you’re not being rude, you’re actually not so bad,” Naili got up and dusted herself off. He didn’t say anything back, which she was expecting, but she knew the feeling was mutual. Why would he smile at her if it wasn’t?

The next few days were spent repairing the last bits of the ship. Maul and Naili’s attitudes towards each other were significantly better than when they first met. They had conversations, worked well together, and often sparred when Naili needed more guidance. Savage checked in on them now and then, sometimes joining in the repairs or engaging in their talks. He would never admit it to anybody, but he liked Naili, and he liked how she seemed to put Maul in a better mood. It was better than him yelling at everybody all the time.

Bo still conversed with Naili sometimes, but she began to get more focused on their plans for Mandalore. Besides, she didn’t like how the Twi’lek was getting closer to the two brothers. They almost seemed like friends, and that seemed dangerous. Putting feelings in the middle of what was supposed to be a professional relationship was not a good idea, but it also wasn’t her business, so she never brought it up.

The day that Naili would leave the planet was getting closer, so she decided to run a few tests on her ship. “Alright, try firing it up!” She yelled to Maul, who was in the cockpit. The engine sputtered to life for a couple seconds, then died in a sad ball of smoke. “Ixta eti, I thought we had it,” she crawled back under to tinker with the wires again. “Ah, here’s the problem,” she muttered to herself as she connected a few wires together. “Try one more time!” She cupped her hands around her mouth to make herself louder.

This time, the ship roared to life, the engine purring beautifully. “Woohoo! We did it!” Naili whooped, raising her hands above her head in celebration. Maul watched her in amusement as she pumped her fists in excitement. When he rounded the corner to greet her, she suddenly enveloped him in a hug without thinking. The Zabrak froze, his arms rigidly pinned to his sides. The embrace lasted for only a second or two, as Naili realized what she had done. “Oh, sorry,” she rubbed her arm in embarrassment. “Um, well, I guess this means we part ways for a little bit.”

“Yes, I suppose so,” he was still in shock. Maul forced himself to relax before speaking again. “But you must remember to report what you find.”

“Yeah, I know, I won’t leave you guys hanging. I think I’ll stay one more night, though, just so I have a little time to prepare to leave.” Naili pushed down any sadness she had regarding her leaving Zanbar. Maul opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by his brother, who had brought them dinner.

“Is the ship working?” Savage handed them the meals.

“Yep, and she’s running beautifully! You two really helped me a lot, so thank you. I guess now it’s my turn to help you,” she sat down to eat her food. “So, who do you want me to spy on or search for?”

“The only option we have is crime lords,” Maul began. “They have the resources and power I need to achieve my vision. With the right…motivation, they’ll be willing to join us.”

“Hmm, it won’t be easy for me to slip in unnoticed. Some of these crime syndicates are no joke, but I’ll look around to see which ones are the best.”

“Brother, what will we do with her once her job is fulfilled?” Savage spoke about Naili as if she wasn’t there.

“Once I say your job is finished, you are free to go,” he stated. For some unknown reason, Naili felt a pang of sadness within her chest as he said that. She’d grown to like the two brothers, and it felt nice to have someone to talk to that understood where she was coming from.

“Um, I may stick around for a while,” she shrugged casually. “I mean, if you’ll have me. I am a little curious to see how this all plays out, and who knows? Maybe you’ll need me again.”

“We will see,” Maul looked at her curiously. After that, the rest of the evening seemed to go by slowly for Naili. She tried to track down Bo to talk with her, but she was beginning to think the Mandalorian was avoiding her. She didn’t want to ask Vizsla where she was, due to her being uncomfortable around him. So, she had no other choice but to stick to the brothers’ side. At first, she was worried that she would be bothering them, but it didn’t seem that way.

All she was doing was fiddling with her datapad, trying to get it to work properly after it was bumped around during her crash landing. The brothers were talking amongst each other, speaking in soft tones so Naili wouldn’t hear them. She made a small noise of celebration as the device started spewing out data. The first thing that popped up was the drawing of her sister she had made a while back. Since they had been separated at a younger age, her face was still that of a young teen’s. Here, she was maybe twelve or thirteen.

Her Lekku was still just past her shoulders, and her green skin was clear of any injuries. Her dress was torn on the bottom, something that happened when she was trying to hunt one day. She was holding up a peace sign, her grin causing her eyes to close. She had been so young back then, enthusiastic about everything and anything and dragging Naili on her adventures. Kashvi had been a little girl when their home was invaded, while Naili had just turned 20.

“Naili?” Maul’s voice snapped her out of her stupor. Quickly, she wiped away the tears that were falling down her cheeks.

“Yeah?” Her voice wavered. She cleared her throat, not wanting any weakness to be shown. Maul glanced at his brother, nodding his head towards the entrance of the tent so that they could have some privacy. He caught a glimpse of what Naili was looking at and immediately understood.

“Her name was Kashvi, correct?” He asked softly.

“I…I need to find her,” Naili’s voice trembled, a rare show of emotion. A couple more tears trickled down her face, but there was no point in hiding them anymore. “She’s the only family I have left.” Maul’s hand twitched, as if he was about to reach for something, but he quickly dropped it.

“Then, you must leave.”

“What?” She gasped.

“The deal is off. The choice to either stay or leave is now yours to make,” he avoided her eyes. Naili had no idea what prompted him to do this, or why he was being so kind to her, but it only made her more emotional. She sniffed and wiped her eyes, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself.

“Thank you, really, I deeply appreciate it,” she smiled, “but you both have done so much for me already. I want to help you with your plans. I’ll just search for my sister while I’m investigating the crime syndicates.”

“I will still allow you to make your own decisions on this matter,” Maul explained. “You only need to say the word, and I’ll let you go.” In that moment, Naili wanted to embrace him again, but she held back. It was obvious he didn’t like that kind of attention and besides, he was a Sith Lord. He couldn’t show weakness around others, just like her. With that, he nodded and walked away.

The next morning, before anyone woke up, Naili fired up her ship and lifted off above the ground. As she set her coordinates for Coruscant, she saw a figure below her looking at her. When she squinted, she was surprised to see Maul watching her go. Naili laughed and raised a hand, showing him that she had seen him. He did the same as a goodbye, leaving her with an odd fuzzy feeling in her stomach. As she turned to leave the planet, she leaned back in her seat and groaned. Why did she break her own promise and get attached?

Chapter Text

The drink Naili was sipping tasted sour, which she supposed was a bad thing. She didn’t normally go to bars just for fun, so drinking wasn’t a pastime for her. She kept her head down, occasionally glancing at her surroundings to spot any suspicious looking people. So far, she’d told Maul that the Black Sun were one of the best options he had for an army. In fact, they were on their way to infiltrate their syndicate right now. As she waited for his report, she had decided to start looking for any leads that pointed to the whereabouts of her sister.

Since she had many allies that were her previous bosses, she just followed their advice. One of the top traffickers for Twi’leks was located in this bar. All she had to do was wait. Apparently, he was a human male with tan skin and a small, loth-cat tattoo on his left wrist. Naili tipped her head back, taking a shot of her sour drink. She certainly had been waiting for a long time; maybe he wasn’t going to show up. “Hey, baby,” a greasy voice whispered in her ear. She jumped back and put a hand on her blaster, meeting the green eyes of the man she was searching for.

She could not mess this up, not now, not when she was so close. She feigned shyness, ducking her head down and giggling as he tried to chase her eyes down. “What’s a pretty thing like you doin’ all the way down here?” He tilted her chin up with his thumb and forefinger.

“Oh, you know, waiting for someone strong to come sweep me off my feet,” she batted her eyelashes. The man practically drooled over her, keeping his eyes fixed on her chest.

“Well, if you would like, we can go to a more…private spot. I know a small motel around here where we can relax,” he smirked, further leaning in and flicking his gaze to her lips.

“Oh? Where is this relaxing place?” She stood up and took his hand, showing her ‘eagerness.’

“Follow me, darlin,’” he snickered. Naili clung onto him, making sure to run her hands down his sides once in a while. She spotted a dark alleyway and pulled him to a stop.

“I can’t wait any longer,” she stood on her tip-toes to whisper in his ear, “follow me.” He grinned and did as she said, chuckling when she pushed him against the wall. She slowly moved closer to him before suddenly kneeing him in the groin.

“Ah! What the kriff, lady?!” He glared up at her angrily. She fisted the collar of his shirt and pressed her arm against his neck.

“Alright, start talking! I know you traffic Twi’leks off-world, where do you take them?”

“You’re a bounty hunter? I’m so stupid,” he muttered to himself. Naili banged his head against the wall to get him to shut up. “I ain’t tellin’ you nothin!’”

“We’ll see about that,” she scoffed, pulling out her knife. “Tell me where you’re taking them!”

“You wouldn’t dare,” he smirked. She tilted her head and pressed her weapon against his neck, drawing the tiniest drop of blood out of him. “Alright alright, I’ll tell you,” he whined, staying perfectly still so she wouldn’t hurt him further.

“Then start talking!”

“I ship them to many places in the galaxy, but my biggest customers are Tatooine, Zygerria, and Coruscant. In fact, I just shipped off new cargo to Zygerria today. I can show you the list!” He cried.

“Do you know a Twi’lek named Kashvi? She would be about 18 standard years,” she glared.

“Lady, I get a lotta Twi’leks almost every day, I ain’t gonna know any of their names,” he held up his hands in surrender.

“Do you have a list containing shipments from two years ago?” When he didn’t immediately answer, she pushed the knife harder against his neck.

“Yes, yes, I do. I probably have it on my datapad if you’ll just let me get it out,” he whimpered.

“No, I’ll do it,” she unclipped the device from his belt, keeping her eyes trained on him. “Show me.” Quickly, he started typing away, very aware that Naili was watching what he was typing.

“Here,” he turned it around to show her. Before she could take it, her commlink turned on.
“Naili, report in,” Maul’s voice rang out.

“Frotz, not now,” she grit out. “I’m going to download this, then I’ll let you go,” she frowned. The man nodded, letting her do her thing.

“Naili, where are you?” Maul was getting irritated. Once she got the information, she stunned the man with her blaster.

“I’m here,” she sighed.

“What were you doing?”

“I’ll tell you later. What’s your location?”

“Sending coordinates.” A few seconds later, the information appeared on her datapad. Naili groaned as she saw he was back on Zanbar. That was all the way in the Outer Rim. It would take her a couple days to travel back there.

“Maul, I’m on Coruscant, why can’t you just tell me what you need right now?”

“Knowing your skill, I assumed it wouldn’t be a problem for you,” he stated calmly.

“I just,” she sighed and rubbed her temple, “I’m on a very important mission right now, regarding my sister.”

“Alright,” he said, although there was irritation in his voice. “Go somewhere secluded so that we may speak freely.”

“I’ll check back with you soon,” she nodded before hanging up. Naili thought it strange that Maul wanted to speak with her in person. Whatever he wanted to speak to her about must’ve been important. When she got on her ship, she activated her holoprojector and contacted Maul. He answered quickly. “So, what is it?” She cocked a hip.

“We require your services once more. We believe someone is trying to warn the other crime lords that we are forcefully recruiting them. I’m asking you to find this individual and assassinate them.”

“That’s all? You could’ve just told me that instead of asking me to travel all the way to Zanbar,” she chuckled. Maul only rolled his eyes, choosing not to retaliate. “Anyway, who’s the target?”

“That is what I am unsure of,” the Sith started slowly pacing, putting his fist to his chin in thought.

“Well, how am I supposed to kill this guy if I don’t know who he is?” She crossed her arms.

“I believe the person we’re searching for is a bounty hunter.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because our next target is the Hutt clan. Having their resources will greatly increase our chances of success,” he wickedly smiled. Naili froze upon hearing that name. He wanted to go to Nal Hutta? She couldn’t go back there, not after what happened. It seems as if Jabba wanted her back, and she was not willing to face him again. “Naili, are you listening?” He raised a brow ridge.

“What? Oh, yeah uh…are you sure you wanna recruit the Hutts? They won’t give up their position of power easily, especially Jabba.”

“I sense fear in you when I mention Jabba,” Maul observed.

“Don’t do that,” she hardened her gaze. “Don’t look inside my head like that.”

“It is not that simple,” he unclasped his hands and took a step towards her. “I assume Jabba was your master?” Her silence told him everything he needed to know.

“I’ll track down this bounty hunter for you, but I will not go with you to see Jabba unless I absolutely need to,” she closed her eyes.

“Alright,” was all he said before falling silent. They stood there, not knowing what to say next, both unwilling to address the growing friendship between them. Naili felt drawn to him, in a way. Whether it was a friendly attraction or something else, she wasn’t quite sure, but knowing he was nicer than he was to her in the beginning didn’t help. “What if you got revenge?”

“What would you know about revenge?” She scoffed, suddenly frustrated.

“Everything,” he sneered. “The Jedi took my legs away from me. My master cast me aside as if I was a mere plaything. Do not lecture me about revenge,” he stood closer to her now, but she wasn’t afraid. He was just a projection after all.

“Is that why you have cybernetics? Wait, how did you even survive?” She imagined him crawling on the ground, helpless. She had to dig her nails into her arm to keep from laughing. Yeah, it was mean, but her imagination was at fault, not her.

“I survived by remembering what Kenobi did to me. I used the Dark Side to live, fueled by my hatred and rage,” he paused to collect himself. “My brother found me, a feral animal that was driven insane.” Naili now understood why he was furious most days, and why he was so good at being patient. She wondered how long he was like that, living on nothing but his own nightmares. It must’ve been terrible, and he must’ve been so scared.

“I’m sorry,” she frowned, looking into his eyes. He certainly did not expect her to say that, for he was stricken speechless. “I, too, lived on barely anything for the longest time. I was treated like an animal, and it took me a while to remember how to do anything for myself. Sometimes, I have to remind myself that I now have free will.” Maul didn’t say anything, his yellow eyes slightly softening. “Which is why I can’t go with you to see Jabba. I’m scared he’ll do something to me, or I’ll do something stupid and break down in front of anyone. I just…” She cut herself off and sighed.

“I understand,” he said. There was a shuffling noise in the background, making him turn his head. “I must go. I will send you more information on the target later, and I will contact you if I need you.”

“Sounds good,” she nodded, and he hung up.

Chapter Text

Savage didn’t understand his brother sometimes. Maul wanted to build an army; he wanted power, but he also had many conflictions imprinted upon his heart. Savage could tell these ‘weaknesses,’ as his brother called them, made him incredibly angry. He didn’t know much about his brother’s past before he was thrown away on Lotho Minor, but he knew it tormented him. Sometimes, when they slept, he was awoken by Maul’s terrified screams. The nightmares never went away, which was unsettling. However, for the sake of his pride, he never asked for help.
Any help that was offered by Savage was shrugged off, annoyance dripping off of him. The dreams did decrease for a bit after aligning themselves with the pirates, but once they met up with Vizsla, his terror returned. He knew that Maul wouldn’t want to show such weakness to the Mandalorians, so whenever this happened, he made sure nobody would disturb their tent. Sometimes, when his brother was unaware, Savage made sure to sleep near him, one hand on his arm so that he could project his Signature onto him.

It was getting worse throughout their stay, causing him to barely stay awake during the day. Then, Naili arrived. Savage didn’t care about the Twi’lek until Maul showed interest in her. Again, his understanding of his brother’s plans was limited, and he certainly didn’t know why the Twi’lek seemed useful to Maul. That is, until they started arguing with each other…a lot. He found their fights to be amusing, and slightly concerning, but if it kept his brother from his nightmares, he allowed the bantering to continue.

However, Maul’s anger increased the longer he worked with Naili. The conflictions that were stirring within him only became more confusing, feeding his emotions. Savage was not stupid; he knew that his brother harbored an attraction towards the woman. Whether it was platonic or romantic, or even sexual, he didn’t know. All he knew was that Naili was purposefully feeding his anger, which didn’t sit well with the yellow Zabrak.

But then something interesting happened. Naili began talking to him, wanting to know more about Savage and how they came to land on Zanbar. The more he got to know her, the more he began to like her. She also harbored much anger, along with an attraction towards Maul. She was also kind, when she wasn’t furious, and was good at drawing people to her. He became more curious when he found out she had a younger sister, making them more alike. He would go so far as to call them friends but wouldn’t tell that to his brother. He would only scold him that trusting people was a weakness.

The other surprising thing about the Twi’lek was that she seemed to calm Maul’s mind without his knowing. His nightmares weren’t as present, but still appeared once every couple nights. He was less angry at times, even forgetting to scold Savage sometimes. But once again, Savage didn’t understand his brother. He would often snap at Naili when he caught himself being nice to her. His sparring sessions became harder, but Savage allowed him to project his anger in his teachings. He didn’t mention his conflictions, or the feelings he felt roiling in his Force Signature. It was better not to talk about them.

He ignored the insults Maul directed to him, even if they stung. He knew that Maul needed to figure out these feelings for himself. Still, the urge to help his brother was strong. That protectiveness he learned to harbor on Dathomir ate away at him, especially after Feral. He still half blamed himself for his little brother’s death, even though he knew he had been under the witch’s spell. Sometimes Maul asked about their other brother, wondering what he was like and what would have happened had Feral survived. The topic was hard to speak about, but he relented.
Now, Naili was gone, still halfheartedly working for them while on her own mission. Maul missed her, Savage could feel it, but he knew his brother wouldn’t let himself feel for her. Still, he smiled when Maul requested for Naili, chuckling to himself when he saw his brother’s eyes light up at the sight of her. What he didn’t expect was for him to share a part of his past with her, leaving Savage with a mild jealousy. How could this bounty hunter get the Sith to talk when he had been trying so hard for months? It irked him.

All this and more he thought about as Maul slept that night, no nightmares plaguing his brother as of yet. Savage watched his chest steadily rise and fall, his light snores telling him he was in a deep sleep, something that didn’t come easily to Maul anymore. The thin blanket covering his form was rumpled, about to slide off as he twitched in his sleep. One of his legs was hanging off the bed, barely brushing the floor. He liked when Maul was like this. Seeing him so relaxed kept his mind as ease.

Savage sighed and quietly pulled the blanket over his brother’s figure, gently lifting his leg back on the bed. He didn’t want him falling off and startling awake. That would lead to another bout of anger. He swallowed his emotion down as, for just a moment, he saw Feral’s face staring up at him. He would often mourn his little brother when Maul wasn’t around, not wanting to hear his speech about ‘harboring weakness.’ Still, he didn’t blame the crimson Zabrak. After all, he had never been taught how to be a brother. His musings were interrupted by Maul’s soft cries. Ah, there was another nightmare.

Savage watched him for a moment, looking on sadly as his brother curled in on himself, trying to protect himself from some unseen danger. Most of the time, he wouldn’t wake up, no matter what Savage tried, so it would be safe if he comforted Maul. As another cry left him, the bigger Zabrak slipped under the covers behind him and held his brother, pouring out as much comfort and safety as he could through the Force. He thrashed in Savage’s grip at first, but quickly fell limp, his cries decreasing as he fell back to sleep.

He hated when this happened, and often wondered what his brother was dreaming about. Something terrified him, following him into his dreams so that he had no rest. Savage desperately tried to protect him from this evil but didn’t know how to go about it. It was worse when Maul claimed that he was fine, and that he didn’t need help from his apprentice. He frowned, anger building up in his chest at his brother’s incompetence. If he didn’t want his help, how were these nightmares going to stop?

Maul stirred, a sign that he was waking up. Savage carefully set him down and returned to his bed as if nothing had happened. He watched as his…master groggily rubbed his eye, holding back a yawn. “Brother, was it another nightmare?”

“I am fine, Savage,” Maul growled. “How early is it?”

“The sun hasn’t come up yet. It is still night,” Savage reported.

“I am going for a walk,” the red Zabrak announced, walking out of the tent without another word. He likely wanted his space, so Savage didn’t follow him. It was still the middle of the night. Whatever he had dreamt about clearly left him more afraid than before. This was getting out of hand. Maul was barely sleeping now that Naili wasn’t with them, and his nightmares seemed to be getting more violent. It was only a matter of time before he completely broke down.

Without another thought, Savage stole his brother’s holoprojector, and called the Twi’lek. It was highly unlikely she would answer, but right now, she might be the only person Maul would listen to. To his surprise, Naili answered almost immediately. It looked like she was fixing some sort of handheld device. “What is it now, Maul?” Upon seeing as it was Savage, she froze. “Oh, hey Savage. You never call me. What’s up?” She set down her device and held his gaze.

He hesitated, wondering if calling her was a good idea. After all, this was their business, not the Twi’lek’s. “It’s about Maul,” Savage finally spoke.
“Is everything okay? Do I need to come over there?” Again, Savage was shocked at how easily she offered to help.

“No. At least, I don’t think so. I shouldn’t even be telling you this,” he looked behind him, making sure his brother wasn’t going to suddenly barge in. “Maul’s been having…nightmares. I do what I can, but he doesn’t accept my help. He says the pain makes him strong, and he can’t afford any weaknesses.”

“That boc’ara,” Naili whispered. “No offense, but if you can’t help him, then what makes you think I’ll be able to?”
“Because even though he won’t admit it, he’s beginning to have a soft spot for you. I’m just his apprentice and besides, we’re not that close,” he muttered that last part, a hint of sadness on his tongue.

“Savage, I know it doesn’t seem like it, but he does care for you. He just doesn’t know how to be a caring person,” she chuckled.

“That may be true, but I don’t know what else I’m supposed to do. You may have a better chance at talking to him than I.”

“I knew I liked you,” she rested her head on her chin. “You’re so kind and loyal, even to someone like Maul.” Savage didn’t know how to take that compliment, so he just simply nodded. “Alright, I’ll talk to him, but you should at least try. He’s your brother.”

“Maybe…you are right. Thank you, Naili,” he gave her a small smile.

“You’re welcome, and don’t hesitate to call me again if there’s trouble.” She then hung up, leaving Savage with a dull sense of relief. Naili was a good friend to him, almost like a little sister. He would definitely approve if something happened between her and Maul. The sound of mechanical footsteps was what brought him back to reality. He returned his brother’s holoprojector to its place and sat on his bed.

When Maul walked in, there was a heaviness to his gait that wasn’t there before. The slump in his shoulders was more pronounced, and his eyes were drooping from exhaustion. All Savage wanted to do was protect him from whatever was tormenting him, but his brother had no idea how to be anything other than angry that he refused any help. Still, it couldn’t hurt to try. “Brother, I know you have been suffering. If you would just let me-“

“What you should be concerning yourself with, apprentice, is your training. My well-being is none of your business,” he stood up to his full height, looming over Savage. He turned away, thinking that he had put his apprentice in his place. However, the yellow Zabrak knew he couldn’t back down. With a grunt, he gripped Maul’s shoulder and lightly squeezed. At his touch, the smaller man froze, anger coming off of him in waves.

“Maul, in order to lead these troops, you must focus on your health. It is important that you don’t work yourself to death,” Savage pleaded. He hoped bringing the plan into this would knock some sense into that stubborn head of his.

“You forget your place, Savage. There can only be two; a master and an apprentice. An apprentice does not ask about their master’s health,” he growled, poking his brother in the chest as he spoke. His words stung, burying deep into Savage’s bones. He had failed in getting him to talk, that much was true. In fact, he had only made it worse. It was up to Naili, now.

“Yes, master,” Savage bowed his head, showing his submission. The sadness in his chest increased, but he steeled himself. Maul wasn’t ready to learn how to be affectionate, at least not yet. It wasn’t his fault that he was this way. It had been beat into him as a child, so he decided not to blame his brother for his words. All he needed to do was be patient and wait until someone could reach him. In the meantime, Savage would stand beside him, supporting him from afar.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************

When Savage called her in the middle of the night, she thought something terrible had happened to Maul. It turns out, she hadn’t been far off. The man had been practically beside himself with worry for his brother. She thought it was incredibly sweet, but also sad. When she was at the camp, she saw how Savage shrank due to an insult thrown his way, and how his shoulders tensed when something threatened his brother. It was obvious he loved Maul but wasn’t rewarded when he tried to do something right.

Naili still didn’t fully understand what Maul had gone through, but if it refrained him from learning how to love, it must’ve been horrible. She sighed, looking down at the list of enslaved people on her datapad. The man who gave it to her was still out there, but she had chosen to let him live because she had run out of time. She wanted to travel the galaxy to find her sister, that hope still burning inside of her. But something else was calling to her, or rather, someone.

Maul was a man in pain, haunted by something in his past that was breaking him and his relationship with his brother. She wanted desperately to help, but she was unsure of herself. She…cared for Maul as a friend, and she could tell him needed help. On the other hand, her duties as a bounty hunter and big sister were just as important, or more important, than him. “Argh, why did I have to grow so attached so quickly?!” Naili cried, throwing her datapad across the room.

This was just her luck. Befriending a broken soul was not good for. Still, she found herself powering up the Kashvi and turning around to head back to Zanbar. It was a long flight, nearly four days, but she prevailed, and even gained information on other crime syndicates for Maul. It gave her a reason to go back to the base. It was less suspicious that way. The Mandalorians welcomed her back, knowing her ship and who she was by now. As she stepped off, her gaze travelled to a certain crimson Zabrak across the camp.

Her heart skipped a beat as she realized he was already looking at her, his hands clasped behind his back and his yellow eyes widened in shock. Naili didn’t know why he seemed so surprised. It wasn’t like they were never going to see her again. She came back to herself when a large figure loomed over her. “Savage,” she greeted with a smile. She rested a hand on his arm, a subtle sign of affection. Hugging wouldn’t do in a place like this. He slightly bowed his head in return. “Uh, I decided I would speak to your brother face to face instead of by hologram.”

“Yes, I think that was a good choice,” he stepped aside to reveal Maul.

“Hey,” she smiled at him. He didn’t say anything back. “I need to talk to you,” she said softly.

“Your ship, then?” He gestured to her mobile home. She nodded, suddenly nervous for some reason. She realized that she didn’t know how to go about this. The privacy of her ship offered her no comfort, not when Maul was on board. He was looking around curiously, patiently waiting for her to speak.

“So, uh, I found a lead on the whereabouts of my sister,” she announced. He hummed, seeming distracted.

“Naili, I know you are hiding something from me. I want to know what it is,” he walked up to her. That’s when her resolve broke.

“Maul, I’m not stupid. I know you’ve been exhausted lately, and I know that something is causing you fear.”

“Do not assume you know me!” He rounded on her, pointed a finger in her face.

“I’m not assuming anything! I know what fear looks like, trust me. I know how it feels to let your past haunt you, and-“

“You do not know anything! Don’t pretend to know me. How could you, anyway? You’re a mere slave,” he growled, hate flashing in his eyes. Naili gasped despite herself, his words striking deep within her.

“How dare you?” She spoke lowly, her accent ringing out pure and true. Maul took a step back, seeming to realize what he had said.

“Naili,” he reached out, only to hesitate.

“I know we’ve had our differences, but that doesn’t give you the right to treat me like this! I came here to try to support you. Your brother cares for you, he’s so worried that he came to me for help! Instead, you treat him like a slave, always ordering him around and whatnot. He’s been trying to protect you, why can’t you see that?!”

“Why are you so interested in what goes on in my life? I thought bounty hunters weren’t supposed to make friends. My apprentice is none of-“

“Stop calling him that! And I know it’s supposed to be ‘none of my concern,’ but you’re my friend so I can’t help but worry about you!” She stopped, putting a hand to her mouth.

“A friend?” He inquired. “It is unwise for you to consider me as a friend.”

“Well, it happened, so…yeah,” she ran a hand down her face exasperatedly. “You’re such a pain in the ass, Maul.”

“So I’ve been told,” his lip twitched in a poorly concealed smile. Naili puffed out a laugh, her anger forgotten for the moment. She bit the inside of her cheek, raising her hand to gingerly touch his hand. She felt him flinch, but he did not pull away. Naili continued until she was holding his hand in her own.

“Maul, you’re aggressive, abrasive, and often times a downright bully. But I understand that that’s all you know how to do. Please, you have to let me help you. At least tell me about what you dream about, that’s all I ask,” she squeezed his hand. The fact that she even considered her a friend was dangerous, but it left a warm feeling in his chest that scared him. He opened his mouth to answer, closing it again when he realized he couldn’t do it. She trusted him so easily, but he couldn’t give her that same luxury.

“I must return to my plans,” he glared, ripping his hand away from hers. Naili was left alone, hurt that he had rejected her. She blinked back tears and took a deep breath. There wasn’t time to feel sorry for a man who didn’t want to be helped. Right now, all she could do was help him and Savage take over Mandalore. Her sister would have to wait, at least until their plans were finished.

Chapter Text

Maul didn’t understand why Savage and Naili seemed to be hovering over him. He didn’t need anyone, especially not the Twi’lek. However, he found himself regretting what he said to her on her ship. She’d been angry, yes, but also hurt and betrayed. Still, he didn’t apologize. His pride got in the way of that. He also didn’t understand why she cared about him. He wasn’t a person others usually cared about, so that feeling of kindness was new. He had only felt it with Savage, but he always brushed it away.

Having friends was dangerous. Trust was dangerous. He couldn’t afford to pledge loyalty to someone now. Even Vizsla was turning against him. He could feel his anger and jealousy whenever he walked past. Naili would betray him, too, he was sure of it. After all, that was all he had ever known. A light nudge from Savage brought him back to reality. Ah, yes, they were in the middle of planning the attack on Mandalore. The Pykes had come to join them, so all they needed now were the Hutts. Naili had left before he awoke that morning. She was fulfilling his request to find the spy that worked for Jabba.

“Now that the Pykes have joined us, we nearly have all the resources we need to fulfill my plan,” Maul continued talking, a hand coming up to stroke his chin in thought. “Mandalore will be yours soon enough, but we must claim more territory in order to enact this vision.”

“What do you propose, Lord Maul?” Vizsla asked. He so loved it when people called him that.

“The bounty hunter called Naili has gone after a lead I have found to capture the spy. If she is able to assassinate him before our arrival on Nal Hutta, we will have the element of surprise,” he clasped his hands behind his back.

“Then we must get moving. Troops, fire up the engines!” Vizsla rallied his men, eager for a fight. Maul stepped out of the tent right as Naili commed him.

“Maul, I’m getting closer to finding this hunter, but I think he’s going to Tatooine. I’m not sure what his motive is,” Naili frowned.

“Hm, it seems we are too late. We are on our way to Nal Hutta, follow the spy to Tatooine.”

“Our deal was that I wouldn’t be going to Tatooine with you. I can follow you to Nal Hutta, but my hunt ends here,” she furrowed her brows. This fear she harbored for Jabba was pathetic. If she didn’t learn to rise above it, it could destroy her. However, they were already too late in stopping this spy, so there was no point in gaining on him now.

“Very well. We will meet you there,” he contained his anger. “Foolish woman. She can’t run from Jabba forever,” Maul muttered.

“Will she fight with us?” Savage turned toward his brother.

“I believe she will, but her job is coming to an end. Our deal will soon close, and she will go back to finding her sister.”

“She may still be of use to us,” Savage tried to reason. Maul rounded on his brother, frowning.

“Your attachment to her will be your undoing, Savage. She is nothing more than a business partner.” His brother only nodded, not having the will to argue at the moment. Maul was eager to get to Nal Hutta and be rid of Naili. She had become a distraction. It was best if he never saw her again after this.

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Naili pounded her fist on the dashboard in anger. She didn’t even know why she was still in league with this Zabrak anymore. He had nothing to gain from keeping her around, and she was back to being frustrated with him. Something changed in him when she had last confronted him about his troubles. Instead of helping, she had only made things worse, and now she was a mere bounty hunter to him again. She was seriously thinking about forever parting ways.

A beep from the nav turned her attention away from her thoughts. The hunter was now moving to Tatooine. The only way she had figured out where this guy was going was from a tip in a local bar. Some people had been whispering about a collection of hunters traveling to Jabba’s palace. Apparently that many bounty hunters going to the same place was odd. Naili cracked her knuckles, anxiety filling her chest. She did not want to face Jabba again, but she did want to find out who these hunters were, and she definitely wanted to get paid.

Maul’s frustration with her was evident. She didn’t have to possess the Force to know that. Honestly, she was fully expecting him to force her to go to Tatooine, but it looked like he was too busy to care at the moment. However, it had been about two years since her escape. She couldn’t avoid her former master forever, especially with her job. Naili put her head in her hands, willing them to stop shaking. She couldn’t be caught, not again. It had taken her so long to get out, and even longer to gain the skills she had now.

“Ayys, this is probably not going to end well,” she groaned as she set course for Tatooine. She sent a coded message to Savage to explain everything. Maul would no doubt be irritated that she was changing the plan again, but she didn’t care. Their deal was almost up, anyway, and she wasn’t scared of him. Besides, the desert planet wasn’t that far from Nal Hutta, so technically she would be going that way. Naili looked down at the holoimage of her sister and sighed. Her promise was still unfulfilled, but that would change very soon.

Hours later, she landed a few clicks from his palace. She knew where it was, that place was burned into her memory. As she stepped onto the sand, she froze upon seeing none other than Embo’s ship near where she had landed hers. No, it couldn’t be. He couldn’t be the spy. He knew what Jabba had done to her, why would he ever take a job for him? Now more determined, she jogged to the palace, deciding to sneak in around the back. There was a place where they threw the trash out, so she would crawl through there.

“What am I even doing here?” She whispered to herself. Her job was done now. She could just take off and never see Maul or Savage again, but her curiosity of why Embo was here outweighed that temptation. This was her mentor, the one who had taught her everything she knew about bounty hunting. She trusted him with her life. She trusted that he would never take jobs concerning her former masters. Betrayal bubbled up into her chest. Why would he ever protect that monster?

Voices began trickling up the chute she was in, causing her to stop short. That was Jabba’s voice, along with other Hutts.’ She only caught a couple words since they were muffled, but it sounded like they were preparing for an attack. Maul was most likely on his way. All she wanted to do was spy on them, so she moved closer and looked down on them through the vents. They were chattering amongst themselves, seeming almost frantic. Suddenly, a commotion caused everyone to turn their attention to the front door. Maul must’ve just arrived, which meant he had been right behind Naili.

She watched as he and his brother forced their way into the council room, threatening them to join their cause. She was barely listening to him prattle on, only focusing on the bounty hunters hiding behind the Hutts. Embo was one of them, and he was crouching next to Jabba. So it was true, he was protecting the crime lord and for what? A few credits? Anger for her friend boiled underneath the surface, threatening to spill over if she couldn’t contain it. She saw Maul slightly tilt his head in her direction. That’s right, he could probably sense her emotions.

That’s when all hell broke loose. On Jabba’s command, the hunters sprung out from their locations and began their attack. Maul and Savage ignited their lightsabers, defending themselves. Naili was torn between her old friends and new ones. She didn’t want Maul to kill Embo, but she couldn’t let the hunter work for Jabba any longer. She groaned and crawled towards the sounds of battle, kicking open the vent and hopping down into the fray. Upon her arrival, Embo froze upon seeing her, his eyes conveying an apology. She only glared at him.

Naili ducked under Latts Razzi’s scarf before going to stand near Maul. “I thought you weren’t coming to join us,” Maul frowned as he deflected a blaster shot.

“Yeah well, plans change. Besides, I have some unfinished business with Jabba,” she maliciously grinned. Maul smirked at her, moving to go after a bounty hunter she didn’t know the name of. She turned at the last minute to avoid Marrok’s jaws. The Anooba whined, his ears planted on the back of his head. “I’m sorry, boy, but I do what I need to do to survive,” she frowned, not wanting to hurt the animal. Luckily, he moved on to a different target.

“Naili!" Embo called, throwing his hat so that it stopped her from attacking. “Why are you doing this?”

“I should be asking you the same question,” Naili shot back, baring her teeth.

“Naili, you know I don’t support Jabba. I’m short on money, and he was paying handsomely.”

“I thought you were different, Embo. I respected you because you’re kind and understood my position. But I guess I was wrong, you’re just like every other bounty hunter I’ve met!” Naili charged, swinging her vibrosword in a downward stroke. She didn’t intend on killing him, but she was angry. A light thrashing would do.

“Naili, we’re friends. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you,” Embo tried to reason with her. He dodged every swing from her sword, never once going on the offense.

“You should’ve thought of that before siding with Jabba!” Embo rolled out of the way of her sword, putting a hand to his chest.

“Be reasonable! I am a bounty hunter. I get money from whoever wants to hire me, and that includes big crime lords like Jabba. Just because I’m working for him now doesn’t mean I’m on his side in all this,” he grumbled angrily. Naili stopped trying to hurt him for a moment, considering his words. Maybe she was being unreasonable, but it just wasn’t fair. Embo was a brother in her eyes, someone she could trust, which didn’t come easily to her. Him working for her former slave owner felt like a betrayal.

“Sorry, nerra, but this is what I need to do to survive.” With tears in her eyes, she backflipped away from him, joining Maul and the others to target different hunters. They were surprisingly good at holding their own against two Sith Lords. If they weren’t trying to hurt her, she would be impressed. As she fought against Latts, she saw Marrok pounce on Maul, snapping at him ferociously. Her heart skipped a beat as the Zabrak flung the Anooba away from him.

Naili hadn’t wanted this. She didn’t want two of her friends fighting against each other, especially when one of them could easily kill the other. She widened her eyes as Maul raised his lightsaber to deliver a killing blow to Embo. “Maul, no!” She ran over just in time to cling to his arm and pull him back. He lost his balance, sharply turning around to glare at the Twi’lek. Embo got knocked into the wall anyway, but at least he was safe. The hunters then ran off. They had won the day.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Maul growled.

“That hunter was my friend,” she bared her teeth, “I would rather not see him die by your hands.” Maul scoffed, shrugging her off to tell the others not to go after them. She let out a breath and walked over to Savage, putting a hand on his arm. “You okay?” He nodded, giving her a small smile.

“Maul is angry with you,” Savage said softly.

“Yeah, I noticed. I’m sorry that I changed the plan again, but I needed to face Jabba. Besides, my mentor was here. We needed to talk,” she frowned. Savage hummed and followed his brother to the council room. He threatened the Hutts again, bragging about how powerful he was, but also offering a deal. Naili wasn’t listening to him, only focusing on Jabba, who had set his gaze to her own.

“The Hutts will join you,” Jabba was saying. “But on one condition. You give that Twi’lek to me. I want her to be mine,” he chuckled, licking his lips. Naili’s chest tightened, everything in her body going on overdrive. Without thinking, she grasped Maul’s hand and held tight, looking up at him with terror. The Sith froze at the contact, but otherwise showed no evidence that he was surprised.

“Please,” she whimpered.

“Come on Naili, didn’t you like working for me?” His laughter echoed throughout the room. Naili started trembling, her fear rolling off of her in waves. Maul glanced between the two before turning to Jabba with disgust.

“This one is under my ranks. I won’t allow her to ‘work’ for anyone else. If you have a problem with that, you may speak to my apprentice here,” he gestured to the giant of a man standing behind him. Savage growled at the Hutt, standing up to his full height. Jabba frowned, containing his anger.

“Fine, you have a deal.” Naili released a breath and let go of Maul’s hand, suddenly feeling a bit dizzy. As her friend directed people where to go and what supplies to gather, he grabbed her wrist to lead her into a small alcove.

“You look pale, shall I get a doctor?” He looked her over. Not caring if he was angry at her or not, Naili fell into him to give him a tight hug. Maul stumbled back, raising his arms out. He didn’t know whether to hug her back or just let her release him.

“Thank you,” she mumbled, her voice wobbling. Finally, the Sith rested a hand on her head, putting the other one on her back. It wasn’t a full hug from him, but she was satisfied. She pulled away, a little embarrassed, but also more relieved than she was a little bit ago. He let her compose herself before speaking.

“I wouldn’t have betrayed you like your friend did,” he furrowed his brow. At that, Naili widened her eyes, a fluttery feeling exploding in her stomach. Great, now it was going to be even harder to leave him. Not wanting to cry again, she scrubbed a hand down her face.

“You don’t know how much that means to me,” she smiled. Maul looked at her, his eyes searching her face. She had no idea what was going on inside his head, but whatever it was didn’t matter to her. He opened his mouth to answer her, but quickly backed up. At first, she was confused, but understood when Savage stepped into her field of vision. He must’ve sensed his brother coming.

“Brother, the palace has been secured.”

“Good,” Maul smiled. He went back into business mode. “We must make preparations to invade Mandalore. Come along, Naili.” However, the Twi’lek stayed put. At the brothers’ questioning gazes, she gave them a sad smile.

“I can’t stay,” she rubbed her arm. “I’m closer to finding my sister now that I have a good lead. I can’t just leave her.”

“How do you know she’s still alive?” Maul raised a brow ridge. Savage glared at his brother at that, but Naili just smiled.

“I can feel it. Call it a sibling’s intuition,” she winked at them.

“Will we see you again?” Savage rumbled.

“I’m not sure. Maybe. Once I find my sister, I’ll be able to know for sure,” she paused. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad I met you two.” Maul stiffened at that. He hadn’t met her eyes since she spoke about leaving. Savage moved forward, extending his hand for her to take. She held it with both hands.

“Remember, if you need anything, just call. Take care, nerra,” she blinked back tears. Savage squeezed her hand at the term of endearment. When she turned to Maul, he wasn’t looking at her. “Maul, I-“

“It’s been a pleasure working with you,” he stuck out his hand. Naili sighed, disappointed, but put on a smile and shook his hand. “I hope we may work together again,” Maul said as she walked away. She turned around, walking backwards.

“Looking forward to it!” She saluted him with a teasing smile.

Chapter Text

Zygerria, a place Naili thought she would never have to go back to. The place was a hivemind of slavers, traffickers, crime lords, and rich people. It was a place she despised. It had been about a week since she left Maul. Her lead had taken her to Zygerria much to her chagrin. Of course Kashvi was transferred here, where Naili herself was originally. Maybe if she had just been more courageous back then, she would’ve found her sister by now. There was no use dwelling on it now, however.

Before travelling to this planet, she had purchased new clothes. If she wanted to remain incognito, she needed a disguise. She left her custom Mandalorian helmet on the ship, along with her vibrosword. Those would be too suspicious in a place like this. Here, her name was Numa. She had climbed up to the top by inheriting her mother’s money, and now she needed a slave to help clean her large house. It was the best she could come up with.

Now, as she stepped off her ship, she was doubting her own cover story. Naili was a Twi’lek, a species that wasn’t as likely to be in higher classes. It would be odd that she posed as wealthy. She wished Maul was here, or anyone that was better at this than she was. She wasn’t confident that she could rescue her sister from here. On top of that, she wasn’t one hundred percent sure Kashvi was even here.

“All I need to do is act like a pretentious prick, right? That shouldn’t be too hard,” she bit the inside of her cheek. Naili steeled herself, walking down the ramp and heading into the fray. Her nerves were showing, she could tell. This wasn’t something she normally did. She was used to catching slavers, not interacting with them. As she looked at the bustling dock, her heart began to speed up. Maybe coming here wasn’t one of her best ideas, especially since she was alone.

“What am I doing?” Naili started to panic, her hands trembling. She began slowly walking back into her ship, ignoring the stares she got. She collapsed in the pilot’s chair and held her head in her hands. It was all too much for her. She spent years on this planet being spat on, whistled at, whipped, bruised, tortured. She still had the scars on her back. Now she was completely alone, trying to take on a mission that was too much for her. She was usually so confident, but now all she felt was paralyzing fear.

Suddenly, Embo popped up in her mind. The last time they talked, she had been angry at him, even trying to hurt him. Would he really answer her if he called? However, he was the only person that would help her. There were Maul and Savage, but they were extremely busy. Besides, two Zabraks were too risky for this kind of operation. With a sigh, she sent a message to Embo, hoping he would answer her. Surprisingly, he did. “Naili, thank the stars you’re alright!” He exclaimed.

“You would answer my call even when I almost hurt you?” She picked her fingernails nervously.

“Of course! Every family fights, Naili. I figured you needed some space, but I knew you would call sooner or later,” Embo chuckled. Naili looked down, hiding her tears.

“I’m sorry for everything I said. I was angry and hurt and wasn’t thinking that it really was just a job. I shouldn’t have attacked you, and I should’ve explained what I was doing there,” she sniffed.

“You don’t have to explain anything, little sister. You have your jobs and I have mine, I won’t pry into your business. I knew that if I told you I had taken a job for Jabba, you would react like this. I should’ve told you beforehand, so for that I’m sorry,” he bowed his head.

“Well, maybe we both learned to better communicate with each other,” she chuckled. Embo laughed, nodding his head. “Actually, I also called you because I need help,” she grit her teeth.

“Are you in trouble?”

“Not exactly,” she wrung her hands together. Naili then proceeded to tell him everything that had happened regarding the search for her sister.

“Well, you’re off to a good start,” Embo rubbed his chin when she finished. “I’m glad you asked for help, though. You trusted your instincts, just like I taught you. I’m not too far from Zygerria right now, so I’ll meet you there to come up with a better plan.”

“Thank you so much, nerra, I owe you one,” she grinned.

“You owe me nothing, Naili. Anyway, I’ll see you in about an hour or so,” he told her before hanging up. Relief replaced fear, her heart returning to its normal pace. Embo was too kind to her, she knew that. She was lucky enough to have a friend like him, even when she was awful to him. Why he always stuck around was a mystery to her, but she wasn’t complaining. When he arrived, she noticed he was dressed a bit nicer than usual, although not by much. She figured that was a disguise. When he stepped onto her ship, she gave him a big hug, making sure to let him know how much she appreciated him. “Alright Naili,” Embo crossed his arms after they exchanged hellos, “here’s the plan.”

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It took a lot of convincing from Embo, but Naili finally agreed to play the part of the slave. However, she wouldn’t move out of her ship. Embo had made her dress in the two piece she wore when she first escaped. The other clothes she had were hunter clothes, so it would’ve been too suspicious. “Embo, I just can’t. This is too much! What if someone wants to pay for me? What if someone recognizes me?”

“I won’t let that happen, little sister,” Embo put a hand on her shoulder. “I promise I won’t let anyone near you. I’m playing the part of the slaver, remember? I’ll tell anyone who lays eyes on you that you’re mine.” Naili wrapped her arms around her stomach, trying to hide her skin. She glanced out of the window, thinking of her sister. If she didn’t do this, Kashvi would be lost to her forever.

“Alright, I’ll do it. But please, keep your promise,” she frowned.

“Of course I will, Naili. Now, let’s get going.” Naili followed Embo, making sure to keep her head down as a sign of respect. This felt wrong, but she forced herself to push forward. From what she could see, this time of the day was busy for Zygerria. Crowds rushed to various auctions, bidding on species that looked most appealing to them. She frowned in disgust, looking away as she saw a mom and her daughter being ripped away from each other.

Memories of her own experience being sold flooded her mind. Everywhere she looked, she saw herself with her sister, begging people to at least buy them together. Naili prayed that Kashvi wasn’t here, but at the same time she desperately wanted to hold her again. She snapped herself out of her musings when she saw a Twi’lek auction being held. “That’s the one,” Naili whispered to Embo, “that’s the auction that Kashvi was in.” He nodded and stood with the crowd, pulling her beside him.

Naili knew her sister wouldn’t be here specifically, but she may be able to get a tip from one of the slavers. All she could do, however, was watch as Embo asked around. As he played his part, Naili chanced a glance upwards. The Twi’leks on the small ‘stage’ all had their heads bowed, keeping perfectly still as their masters showed off different parts of their bodies. She didn’t recognize any of them, but she was familiar with the hopelessness in their eyes. She carefully turned to the side, hoping she could spot anybody that she knew.

She sighed as she began to believe this was a lost cause. How was she supposed to find anyone in this gigantic place anyway? “Naili!” A voice harshly whispered. She jumped, turning around at whoever called her name. Surprisingly, it was her former friend, Aksha.

“Aksha?” Naili grinned, shuffling closer to her. “You never got out?”

“I was sold to someone who needed a personal servant. My master is kind…sometimes,” her smile wavered. “What about you? I guess you couldn’t escape.”

“Actually, this is a disguise. My friend is in the crowd. We’re on a mission to find my sister. Do you have any leads?”

“You escaped?” Aksha took a step backwards. Naili understood her trepidation. Even though they had been friends once, Naili was now free, which meant she had authority over her.

“It was pure luck. There was an attack on Jabba’s palace and I managed to slip away. Anyway, I really need to find Kashvi. Do you know anything?”

“I don’t-“ she paused, “actually, I think I know who you’re talking about. Before I was sold, a new Twi’lek was brought in to take my place. I taught her the ins and outs of the mines; she was a good person. I could be wrong, but I think her name was Kashvi!”

“Then I have to go there!” Naili clenched her fists.

“Naili, you have no idea what happened here, do you? The queen is dead, and the mines have been temporarily shut down. The only reason the auctions are still going is because Atai Molec became king. Your sister might not even be on Zygerria anymore,” Aksha grabbed her friend’s shoulders.

“What?” was all Naili could utter. She had traveled so far and had planned all of this, for nothing? “How?”

“Jedi,” Aksha smiled.

“Oh, I get it. They kill the queen and attack the mines just to leave the auctions open? I mean, I guess you have to make the crime lords happy, right?” Naili huffed, her Lekku twitching in anger. Embo came up behind her then, his hand landing on her shoulder.

“I may have found something,” he said, eyeing the Togruta in front of her.

“I found something, too. I don’t think we’ll find my sister here. Zygerria’s falling apart,” Naili sighed.

“I wouldn’t be so sure. She may not be here, but she’s close.”

“What do you mean?” Naili turned to him confusedly.

“You guys should leave, people are starting to get suspicious,” Aksha looked around nervously.

“Aksha, come with us,” Naili grasped her wrist. “You can start a new life, away from your master.”

“I can’t, Naili. My path was already chosen for me as a child. You have this wonderful opportunity ahead of you, and you have the ability to see your family again.”

“Naili, we must go,” Embo began pulling her away.

“But why? Why would you choose this life over a more freeing one?”

“I just can’t Naili,” she laid a hand on her stomach, where a small bump was displayed. The Twi’lek gasped, letting Embo pull her to the docks. Aksha smiled as she left, mouthing the words ‘go on.’ Once she was back on the ship, Naili broke out of her thoughts. She had heard about some masters getting their slaves pregnant, but she didn’t know why her friend would want to stay. It was possible her master had made a deal with her, but that was a question left unanswered.

“What did you find?” Naili asked monotonously.

“The man that you got that list from is allied with Molec. He acquired a personal slave from the trafficker and retreated to the queen’s summer home, which he now owns.”

“How in the stars did you get this information?” Naili puffed out a laugh, impressed with his actions.

“Simple, I pretended to be a client of Molec’s. I played the part of an important, impatient official. The slavers were too distracted with the auction to ask further questions,” Embo grunted out a sound of disgust.

“This all seems too easy,” she put a hand to her chin in thought.

“It seems easy because the queen is gone. The hard part will be gaining access into Molec’s summer home.”

“Are you sure Kashvi is there?”

“No, but there is a big chance she will be there,” Embo sadly smiled. Naili sighed, getting up to go change. She had no idea what Atai wanted with Kashvi, but it couldn’t be anything good. She didn’t even know if this was really her sister in there. If it wasn’t, she would free the Twi’lek anyway. After all, she was still Mirage the bounty hunter. “Naili, we’re here. Do you have your helmet?”

“It’s in the cockpit,” she said into her commlink. As she was about to grab her blaster, her comm began blinking with an incoming message. She knew that code; it was Maul’s. What could he want? She certainly couldn’t answer now, although she desperately wanted to. She missed him and Savage, but she was on her own mission right now. She sighed and dismissed it, making a note to call him back later. As she landed, she prepared herself for facing Molec. She didn’t know if he would recognize her, so she would wear her helmet just in case.

Naili froze in her tracks as she looked upon the massive home before her. It was guarded by several Zygerrians, their blasters at the ready. The house was surprisingly colorful, making it pop against the rest of the environment. It definitely looked like it was built with a feminine touch, which she expected to be gone once Atai took full control. “Ready?” Embo asked from beside her, snapping her out of her musings.

“Yeah, let’s do this,” she took a deep breath. Naili let Embo do the talking, playing her part perfectly. Getting in was unexpectedly easy. All he needed to do was explain that he was an important client of Molec’s. Naili forgot how experienced Embo was. She still had a lot to learn apparently. Saying the right things in a certain tone made the guards afraid, so they let them in quickly. Naili kept her helmet on, unwilling to let Atai know her identity.

Atai was on the throne, sprawled on it as if it was his bed. He quirked a brow at the sight of her and a giant Kyuzo, quickly fixing his position. “Who are you? Guards, why did you let guests in when I’m clearly on a retreat?” He stood up, directing his gaze to his men. The guards slightly cowered, but otherwise stayed silent.

“Let’s just say I’m a businessman in need of assistance. I heard you have the best ‘goods’ in your care, and I want in,” Embo began.

“Really? And who is this?” Atai gestured to Naili.

“She is my…associate. I acquired her on Tatooine some time ago. She only obeys me,” he gripped her arm.

“You say you’re a businessman. I haven’t seen many Kyuzos who are slavers. Vi, bring us refreshments!” The king shouted, waving to a blue Twi’lek. Naili froze, recognizing that face immediately. That was Kashvi. That was her little sister. Tears blurred her vision, but she made no moves yet. How were they going to get her out of here? She subtly squeezed Embo’s hand, letting him know that they had found the target.

“Nai, why don’t you go wait in the ship? This isn’t for your ears,” Embo waved her away as if she was a nuisance, but she knew better than that. He was giving her an opportunity to sneak in a different way. If anything went wrong, he would send for Marrok. Naili nodded and walked out of the room, paying no attention to the guards standing near the entrance. When she was near the ship, she ran around the extravagant home, trying to get a layout of the building. It was times like these where she wished for a droid.

Although the home looked lavish on the outside, the inside was quite simple. Unlike the palace, this was just a home, even if it was built more like a mansion. There were a few more guards outside a few doors, but other than that, it seemed pretty easy to get in. If she scaled the wall, there was an open window that led into Atai’s bedroom. Activating her grappling hook, she began infiltrating the summer home.

Naili was not about to leave here without Kashvi, no matter what it took. She didn’t care if Atai put a bounty on her head, she was going to get her sister back. The inside of Molec’s bedroom was…interesting to say the least. The first thing she noticed was that there was clear evidence of another person living in here. “Oh stars, please don’t be Kashvi,” she whispered. Feminine clothing was scattered across the bed, and the bathroom was styled as a his and hers. It looked decent, until she saw the cuffs they put on the slaves and the whip that she knew all too well.

She turned away, suddenly feeling sick. She couldn’t afford to break down right now; she needed to get Kashvi away from here. Luckily, there was a door that connected to a different room, so she wouldn’t have to knock out the guards. There was no doubt that Atai would dismiss his personal slave, so all she had to do was wait until her sister came up here. To pass the time, she began looking for anything that would be of use to her. There were a few rations, so she took those. Backtracking into the main bedroom, she snatched the cuffs and whip, throwing them out the window.

Despite her situation, she found that she enjoyed going through an enemy’s things. This way, she could gain more information on him if she needed to. Looking around more, she saw that the blankets on the bed were twisted in odd ways. She pushed the bed out a little, stepping back in horror when she saw a dent in the wall where the backboard met it. “Oh Kashvi, what has he done to you?” Muffled voices from the other side of the door set off a panic in her. Quickly, she stepped into the closet to hide.

The door opened to reveal Kashvi herself, carrying an empty tray. When she thought she was alone, she threw the tray on the bed and began to cry. Naili’s heart broke, hating to see her sister this way. Carefully, she stepped out of the closet, holding her hands up in surrender. The other Twi’lek let out a gasp, but Naili held a finger to her lips. “I’m not gonna hurt you. I’m gonna get you out of here,” Naili whispered.

“Y-you’re a bounty hunter, why would you help me?” The girl trembled. Naili then took her helmet off, tears running down her cheeks.

“Because I’ve been searching for you for years,” she choked on a sob. Kashvi immediately broke down into tears, barreling into her sister’s arms. The sisters collapsed onto their knees, holding each other as if they would never see each other again. The room was filled with their soft cries, the danger of being found still prevalent in their minds. Kashvi was the one to pull away first, trying to sound out the words she wanted to say.

“I have so many questions,” she whimpered. “How are you here? How did you find me? Where have you been?”

“I’ll answer every question, I promise, but we need to get out of here first. You can meet the man who taught me everything I know about bounty hunting,” Naili gave her a shaky smile. “Once we get on my ship, we can tell each other everything.”

“You have your own ship?!” Kashvi grinned.

“Escape first, numa,” Naili chuckled. All of a sudden, the door whooshed open, revealing one of the guards.

“Hey! What are you-argh!” Naili shot him through the chest and pushed him out. She shot the door panel, buying them some time. “Kashvi, I’m gonna need you to climb down this grappling hook, okay? I’ll watch your back from up here.”

“There’s no way! It’s too high, I’ll fall!” The girl started crying again, her feet planted to the floor.

“Vi, we don’t have time to argue, the door won’t hold for long,” she pressed a button on her comm, alerting Embo that it was time to go.

“But-“

“You need to go,” Naili pushed her sister to the window and trained her blaster towards the door. Recognizing her tone, Kashvi nodded and began climbing down. Naili looked back for a moment, realizing that she hadn’t thought this part of the plan through. They would need to spring to her ship. She hoped with all her might that Embo was able to provide them some cover. She looked at her sister’s progress again, smiling when she saw the girl was halfway down. The guards managed to override the door, opening fire when they saw her standing there.

She pushed on her helmet and fired back, backing up towards the window as she did. “Don’t let them escape!” She heard Atai’s voice outside of the door. She smirked; that must mean Embo managed to get away. She jumped onto the windowsill, balancing on it as she kept shooting at the guards. Atai burst through the door at that exact moment, snarling at her. “You’ll never lay another hand on my sister, you hear me?” She yelled, getting ready to jump.

“I knew I recognized that voice!” Atai pointed at her, “you’re that slave girl that escaped Jabba!” With another smirk, she turned away from him and jumped. At the last minute, the new king fired his blaster at her, managing to singe her shoulder. Naili cried out in pain at the burning sensation, reaching out to catch the line of the grappling hook. Despite the injury, she climbed down the wall using both arms. She was back on the ground in no time.

“Naili, are you alright?!” Kashvi rushed to her sister’s side, taking note of the fresh wound on her shoulder. Naili winced at her touch but grabbed Kashvi’s hand to pull her along. More guards appeared in front of them, blocking their only way out. She raised her blaster, only to lower it again when she saw Marrok tear the two Zygerrians apart. “What is that?” The younger Twi’lek cried, beginning to slow down in fear.

“It’s alright, that’s my friend’s pet. Just keep going, don’t stop or slow down!” Naili shouted, keeping her blaster raised in case they ran into any more guards. The ship was so close now, she could practically smell the engines. A high-pitched scream caused her to freeze in her tracks. Atai had gotten a hold of Kashvi.

“Let me go!” The girl cried, tears streaking down her cheeks.

“You are mine, little skug! You will always be mine,” the Zygerrian growled menacingly. He was so distracted by his catch that he didn’t notice Naili until it was too late. She pounced on him, striking his face over and over again. He pushed her off of him, shooting at her feet. She dodged it easily, getting close enough to kick his knee in. Atai cried out in pain, falling over pathetically. She pulled out a knife from her hidden pocket, stabbing it through his palm. Naili grabbed his blaster and took back her knife before pulling her sister to her.

They were finally on the ship. Naili fired up the engines and blasted away without another glance. Once they were safely far away from Zygerria, she slumped down against the wall, exhaustion overtaking her. “Kashvi, I need to look at this wound, can you help me take my armor off?” The girl nodded nervously and began carefully peeling away her sister’s armor and underclothes. She lifted her shirt away and stifled a gasp upon seeing the wound. “Naili that looks bad.”

“I’ll be okay. I have bacta patches in my quarters,” she carefully got up and led her sister to her room. Naili looked at the burn again, holding back a gag. Her skin was peeling and bubbling, the smell of burning flesh causing her to bite her tongue. With shaky fingers, she tried removing some of the now dead skin around the wound, tears pricking her eyes at the pain. “Kriff,” she grunted out, the pain making her arm go limp. The sight of the wound alone made her stomach flip.

“Naili, you don’t have much medical supplies left,” Kashvi furrowed her brow, carrying a few bacta patches in her hands.

“I must’ve forgotten to restock after…” Naili trailed off, wondering if she should tell her sister about Maul.

“After what?”

“Never mind, it doesn’t matter right now. Gimme those,” she held out her hand.

“No, let me do it. You only have one hand right now,” Kashvi frowned. Naili smiled as the girl treated her, watching as her lip twitched in disgust, her brows set in determination, and her hands swiftly but carefully treat her injury.

“You haven’t changed one bit, have you? You’re still just as mothering as when we got separated,” Naili chuckled.

“What are you talking about? You were more of a mother than our own mom was!” Kashvi joked.

“Okay, maybe we were both too nurturing.” Naili winced as her sister pushed on the burn in order to make the patch stick.

“There, that’ll keep this from being infected for now, but we should really get you some more supplies,” Kashvi sighed. Without warning, Naili pulled the younger Twi’lek into a tight hug, ignoring the pain in her shoulder. She reveled in the feeling of holding her again, just like she did whenever the young girl had a nightmare. Finally, the fear of losing her faded away, and the reality of her sister being once again by her side set in. She broke down, sobbing openly as Kashvi cried with her.

“I missed you so much lia’ry,” Naili choked on her words. “I never stopped searching for you, even when I didn’t have the means to. I never gave up hope that you were somewhere out there, waiting for me. I’m so sorry it took this long, but what matters most is that we’re together again,” she cupped Kashvi’s face in her hands.

“I just knew that you would find me someday. There were a few times where I tried to escape, but when that failed, I prayed to the stars that I would be able to see you again,” Kashvi sobbed. Naili was glad that Embo wasn’t checking in at the moment. He must’ve known that they both needed space to work this out. She would introduce her sister later. For right now, she would desperately hold on to her, determined to never let her go again.

Chapter Text

“Ouch! Kashvi, be careful!” Naili glared at her angrily.

“Sorry, but it’s time to change your bacta patch,” Kashvi huffed. “Do you want it to get infected?” Naili rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything else. A few days of changing her patches and her wound still wasn’t fully healed. The blaster bolt hit her deeper than the two of them realized. Embo luckily gave them some of his extra medical supplies, but he was also running out. He stayed with them for a few days, making sure Naili was healing as well as getting Kashvi settled in. The two sisters stayed on Jaresh during that time, as they had to lay low for a while.

Unfortunately, Naili’s bounty skyrocketed, putting her more at risk. Kashvi did what she could to ease her anxiety, but she herself was also dealing with being free. Escaping had taken a toll on her physical and mental well-being, and making sure her sister was in good health wasn’t making it any easier. Embo couldn’t be with them forever, obviously, so now it was just the two siblings once again. “Nai, we can’t hide on Jaresh forever. Atai will be expecting us to take refuge in the Outer Rim; it's only a matter of time before he finds us,” Kashvi wrung her hands together.

“I know, Vi, but we don’t have anywhere else to go. At least, not anywhere that’s permanent or safe from harm,” she grit her teeth as her sister tended to her wound. The girl raised a brow at that but didn’t say anything. Ever since she had escaped, Naili had been acting as if she was hiding something. Whenever Kashvi asked where else they could stay, Naili quickly denied knowing any places. She knew her sister was keeping a certain place a secret, but she didn’t know why. If that place was safe, why would Naili refuse to retreat there?

“You don’t have any friends or allies that would take us in? From what Embo told me your reputation is a good one amongst the hunter’s guild. I would be surprised if you had no safe house or anything like that,” Kashvi crossed her arms.

“Listen, Kashvi,” Naili sighed, “I know you don’t believe me. I just…I can’t go back there, not now. He probably forgot all about me anyway.”

“He?”

“Shut up, it’s not what you think.”

“Oh really?” Kashvi gave her a knowing look. Naili scoffed and went back to treating her injury. She couldn’t put her sister in the middle of a civil war that she had a small part in. Besides, Maul rejected her help, even after she was so vulnerable with him. Still, she couldn’t stop thinking about his offer to her. Before she had reunited with her family, the Sith had sent her a message. He had offered to let her treat Mandalore as a home base, something she could come back to if she needed to lie low or stock up on supplies.

When she had read his message, she’d been angry at him. She tried to lend him a hand and he had smacked it away as if he were disgusted by her. Now, he was trying to do the same thing. What did he expect from her? It wasn’t like she wanted to come back, and it wasn’t like she missed him or Savage. She had her family back, so she was busy now. Did he really think she would drop everything just to come see him? What a joke.

“Naili?” Kashvi’s voice broke her out of her angry thoughts. “You were glaring pretty hard at the floor for a minute.”

“Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind,” she tried to smile.

“I can tell. Does it have something to do with that mysterious guy you mentioned?”

“I would rather not talk about it.”

“That’s not fair! You promised me that you would tell me everything! Why are you holding back now?” Kashvi frowned. “I told you about my time in captivity, and all the horrible things Atai did to me, so why won’t you tell me anything?”

“I don’t know,” Naili hugged her knees to her chest, a familiar ache settling into her bones. Seeing her internal struggle, the girl sighed and cuddled up next to her sister.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pried like that. It’s just that, you seem pretty worked up about this person you’re thinking of. If he hurt you-“

“He never hurt me,” Naili snapped, “at least not physically.”

“Remember what father used to tell us? ‘If we let old wounds fester, they will never heal.’ Isn’t our safety more important than your feud with this guy?” As much as it pained her to admit it, Kashvi was right. Maul may have hurt her, but he was just as messed up as she was. She knew that whatever he had gone through as a child caused him to reject others’ support. She couldn’t lose her sister again, not after being apart for so many years. She didn’t have time to be selfish right now.

“Maybe you’re right,” Naili sighed. “We need a safe place to hide while we try to figure everything out. Besides, I need to teach you how to survive out here.”

“Can you teach me how to wield your blade?” Kashvi asked with a glint in her eyes.

“Sure, lia’ry,” Naili chuckled. “But not until we arrive on Mandalore.”

“Your base is on Mandalore? I’ve always wanted to go there!”

“I need to warn you that this planet is probably not going to be as much fun as it sounds. They’re in the middle of a civil war right now, and I’m guessing that the duchess is in captivity,” she pondered.

“What kind of person are you friends with?” Kashvi raised a brow.

“A very troubled one. Now, let’s set those coordinates. It should take us about three days to get there.” Once Naili activated the hyperdrive, the two sisters found ways to pass the time while in flight, often telling each other stories of what they had been through during their time apart. Many tears were shed in these sessions, but it left a stronger bond between the two. xx

“Atai was never kind to me,” Kashvi was telling Naili one night. “When he wanted me, he would force me upstairs to have his way with me. There was never any care he gave me during those times. He only focused on his pleasure, even when I complained to him that it hurt.” She stopped to compose herself, leaning into her sister for some comfort. “There would be times where he would spoil me with gifts, but it never went beyond that.” xx

“Vi, how old were you when he acquired you?” It was something she was afraid of hearing, but at the same time she had to know what that slaver scum had done to her sister.

“…I was 16 when I first came into his possession.”

“Oh gods,” Naili cried, breaking down again. That night was particularly hard for both of them. Reliving her trauma exhausted Kashvi to the point where her anxiety overwhelmed her. Naili let her sleep in her quarters, sitting next to the bed until she knew for sure that her sister was off in dreamworld. She sighed and moved to the small medical ward, changing her bacta patch again. Her wound seemed to be a little better, but much of the skin was still exposed from the burn.

Mandalore would no doubt have better medical supplies than she did. Naili pulled out her holoprojector, wondering if she should send a message to Maul. She’d been dreading talking to him for a while, but she didn’t want to just suddenly drop on his planet without warning. With an annoyed sigh, she decided to message him, waiting until his hologram appeared. To her surprise, Savage answered instead. “Naili?”

“Hey Savage,” Naili smiled. She would much rather talk to this brother right now than the other one.

“Maul is occupied at the moment. Is there a problem?”

“Drop the formalities, nerra, it’s just me. I just wanted to let you know that I’m heading to Mandalore. I need to lie low for a while.”

“You’re always welcome here, Naili,” Savage gave her a smile. She liked to see that on him, especially after being mistreated by Maul.

“Did you manage to take control of the planet?”

“Yes, but we must rule in the shadows otherwise the people wouldn’t accept us. Maul reinstated Mandalore’s previous prime minister as a puppet for our use.”

“Hm, that’s clever. How are you, Savage? I admit I missed you,” she smiled.

“I am well. My training is almost complete, at least that’s what my brother says. I also-“

“No Savage, I asked how you’re doing,” Naili crossed her arms.

“I know what you meant,” he grumbled. The Twi’lek nodded her head, understanding. They would catch up when she arrived on Mandalore.

“How is Maul?”

“The same,” Savage grumbled. “Except, he seems to be angrier. As usual, he won’t tell me anything.” He shifted his weight, “I’m worried about him.”

“It’s okay to be worried, Savage. You’re his brother after all,” Naili smiled.

“You seem different, Naili,” he observed. “You seem more at peace since we first met.”

“Well, that might be because I found my sister,” she grinned.

“You did? How?” She then proceeded to tell Savage about her journey. She didn’t leave out any details, only softening them when she mentioned her injury. She didn’t want him to worry, especially right now.

“Now she’s asleep in my quarters. We both still have healing to do, but I know we’re going to be okay,” she blinked back tears.

“That’s great, Naili. I’m looking forward to meeting her,” Savage smiled before looking behind him.

“You have to leave, don’t you?”

“Yes, unfortunately my brother wants to spar again. But I’ll see you in a few days,” he promised.

“I’ll see you soon, nerra,” Naili chuckled. He nodded before cutting off the transmission. When he was gone, she sighed and leaned back in her seat. She didn’t realize how much she missed the brothers until she saw Savage. If it wasn’t for Kashvi, she most likely wouldn’t have even considered to go back to them.

“Naili, who are you talking to?” The sound of her sister’s voice made her smile.

“That was my friend, one that you’re going to meet on Mandalore. I was calling him to let him know that we’re on our way.”

“Oh,” she yawned.

“Is something wrong?”

“Not really. I just can’t sleep. I’m used to waking up at unholy hours,” she tried to joke.

“Vi, if you wanted me to come sleep next to you, you could’ve just said so,” Naili laughed. Kashvi blushed, avoiding her sister’s gaze. “Come on, I’ll keep you company.”

********************************************************************************************************************************************

“Kashvi, come sit down, we’re about to drop out of hyperspace,” Naili called. For the past few hours, her sister had been antsy, constantly asking questions about Mandalore. She was acting like a hyperactive child, which was entertaining. “Just to warn you, my friends are…interesting characters. They’ve both been through a lot, which causes them to act in certain ways, especially Maul.”

“Woah, that’s a scary name,” Kashvi giggled.

“Yeah, and his brother’s name is Savage. Maul is a very angry and hurt person, and he’s kinda rude, so just try not to take what he says personally. Savage is kinder than Maul, but he’s very protective of his brother and seeks his approval, so try not to bring up that subject to him.”

“Naili, relax, I’m sure I’ll like them.”

“Sorry,” she smiled sheepishly. As she landed the ship, her nerves became more prominent. She watched warily as a few Mandalorians came to investigate the ship. “Alright, let’s do this.” She put on her helmet and led Kashvi down the ramp.

“State your business,” a man pointed his blaster at them. Kashvi shrunk away from his gaze while Naili stood tall.

“I would like to speak with your leader, Maul. He’s an ally of mine and I am in need of some assistance,” Naili made sure to show them she wasn’t armed. The man looked her up and down before gesturing to them to follow him. Kashvi grasped her sister’s hand as if she were a child, gawking at her surroundings. Meanwhile, Naili was studying the new armor that the Mandalorians were wearing. Instead of the blue she was most familiar with, they were painted red and black.

She smiled to herself, realizing that may have been his first act as ruler. He’d always been one for dramatics. She wondered if Bo had sided with Maul, although she highly doubted it. The redhead had always been unwaveringly loyal to Vizsla, so she wouldn’t be surprised if she never saw Bo again. The fact that she didn’t see any blue-clad Mandos told her that there had been a…disagreement among the ranks. She was eager to hear the story of how the two brothers gained power. Her thoughts were interrupted by a small gasp from Kashvi.

“Wow, the palace is beautiful,” she whispered to her sister.

“I’ve never actually seen it before,” Naili commented. “This is my first time to Mandalore, too.”

“Really? I thought-“

“Quiet,” the man growled. Naili glared at him through her helmet and pulled Kashvi closer to her. She pushed down her anger, knowing that this man didn’t know who she was. As they stopped near the palace doors, the man held them back from entering. “Stay here.” Naili crossed her arms, her impatience radiating off of her person.

“Wow, they really have everything locked down around here,” Kashvi spun in a small circle to take in the scenery.

“Something must’ve happened for them to be so alert like this,” Naili kept her eyes on the two guards in front of them.

“They don’t recognize you?”

“I wouldn’t expect them to,” she shrugged. “I spent most of my time around my ship and the brothers. The only ones who would truly know who I am would be those closest to Maul or Bo.”

“Bo?” Kashvi raised a brow.

“She was a friend, I think. I don’t know where she is or if she’s even here,” her tone turned to sadness. Kashvi was about to ask something else when the doors to the palace opened.

“Lord Maul would like to speak with you,” the man stepped aside to let them through. Naili nodded her head in thanks, making sure to lightly brush past him as she walked. She was still upset that they were being treated like prisoners. The first thing she noticed was that Maul was completely relaxed on his new throne. One leg was propped up on the seat, his arm lazily draped over it. Something flipped inside of her stomach at seeing him look so powerful. It was a good look for him. The second thing she noticed was that he had called off all the guards inside the room. They were alone.

Naili ripped off her helmet angrily before stomping towards him. “You know I’m not a prisoner, Maul! I was practically treated like some lower life form by your men. Here I was trying to show my sister how amazing Mandalore is and I get treated like this. I thought you said I was always welcome here,” she smirked at his surprised expression. Savage was holding back a smile; she winked at him playfully.

“I wasn’t aware you were joining us,” he looked to his brother.

“You didn’t tell him?” Naili planted her hands on her hips. Savage just shrugged, a hint of playfulness in his eyes. “I missed you, nerra,” she smiled. They clasped hands in a sort of greeting. Maul was now standing, still shocked. She had never seen him so speechless before. “What’s the matter, Maul? Loth-Cat got your tongue?”

“Why are you here?” He stepped down from the throne. His gaze traveled to Kashvi, who looked as if she didn’t know where to stand. “And this is your sister?”

“This is Kashvi, and she’s kind of the reason I need a place to stay,” Naili grinned.

“Hey, you’re the one who wanted to be all dramatic about my rescue!” Kashvi swatted her sister’s arm. “You still need to get that injury looked at, by the way.”

“You’re injured?” Maul’s eyes began looking over Naili’s body, searching for any obvious signs of blemishes. It was a rare show of kindness that made that same fluttery feeling come back. She dismissed it as nerves.

“The Zygerrians nicked me on my shoulder, that’s all.”

“It’s more than a nick, Naili,” her sister rolled her eyes.

“Am I to assume that you need a place to lie low?” Maul clasped his hands behind his back. Naili nodded. He glanced at Kashvi again before humming. “Would you like to stay in the same room as your sister?”

“Yes please,” Kashvi blurted out before flushing in embarrassment. Naili chuckled, pulling her in for a side hug. Maul pressed something on his comm, speaking softly into it so the two sisters couldn’t hear him.

“So, you’re not gonna tell me what’s going on? You have the whole city tightly guarded it seems like,” she walked closer to the Zabrak.

“We will have to exchange stories some other time. I have business to attend to, and you will need to get settled in,” Maul told her. Naili frowned, trying to hide her disappointment. Two Mandos came to fetch the sisters, leading them to the medical ward. She looked back at him, finding that he already had his back turned towards her. She made sure to glare daggers at the back of his neck.

The trip to the infirmary was quick and mostly painless. Her injury was fully treated and back on the road to a speedy recovery. The sisters were given a room to share, which they settled into quickly. Although they were safe for now, Naili couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Her disappointment with Maul was still fresh in her mind, but she wouldn’t admit that to anyone, not even to her sister. As for Kashvi, she could tell that something was wrong, but she decided not to push her sister for answers. She wasn’t too sure about the brothers, or that Naili was friends with them, but she figured she would warm up to them along the way.

When evening came around, Maul summoned the sisters to the dining hall. It would be the first time since she left that Naili would be able to talk to the Zabraks freely. “You called for us?” Naili crossed her arms. He gestured to the table, asking them to sit and eat.

“Savage informed me that the reason you need to hide is because you rescued your sister,” Maul began. He was being formal with her, something that irritated the Twi’lek. Well, two could play at that game.

“I found her on Zygerria at the new king’s summer home. I wanted to make a quick exit, but Atai eventually caught us in the act. My mentor took us in after that, but the king was relentless in trying to find his…’prize.’ We needed a place nobody would look for us and all I could think of was here,” Naili explained bluntly. If he wasn’t going to treat her like a friend anymore, then she was going to do the same.

“Hm, I’ll allow you to stay on the condition that-“

“You don’t understand,” Naili clenched her fists. “I wasn’t asking for permission. We’re staying no matter what you say, unless you’d rather be responsible for my sister’s death.”

“Naili!” Kashvi hissed, but her sister ignored her.

“I have an army at my disposal. I could easily kill you now, or throw you back into space to be eaten by those Zygerrian dogs,” he frowned in disgust.

“Brother,” Savage warned quietly.

“What’s wrong with you?!” Naili stood up from her seat. “Just because I leave for a few weeks you think you can treat me like I’m a slave? We were friends, whether you like it or not, why can’t you just let go of your pride for one second?!”

“I am this planet’s ruler now, I don’t have time to fraternize with mere pests like yourself. You were a bounty hunter to me, nothing more!” Maul stood up as well, his body rigid.

“Really?” Naili scoffed, tears in her eyes. “Because for a minute there I truly believed that you cared for me. I guess I was wrong, you’re just a pathetic monster who cares about nobody but himself.” She turned sharply on her heel and stomped away, leaving the others to mull over her words.

Chapter Text

Kashvi watched as Naili trained with her vibrosword, the yells and shouts of her sister reverberating around the room. Before Mandalore, she thought that Maul was a trustworthy friend. Naili certainly painted him that way. Now, however, she realized there was something much deeper going on in their relationship. For the past two days, Maul and her sister had been avoiding each other like the plague. The only time they would interact is if one needed something from the other.

Kashvi listened in on their short conversations, trying to deduce what the tension was between them. She often sought out Savage, who was much more amenable than his brother. She liked the giant Zabrak. He was gentle with her even when he knew he could potentially break her if he wanted to. She learned what had happened between Naili and Maul from him since her sister didn’t like talking about it.

“She’s being unreasonable,” Kashvi was saying to Savage one day. “I just got her back and she’s already keeping things from me. Besides, Maul isn’t that bad. Yes, he can be a pain, but she’s describing him as if he were a koyi.”

“My brother is stubborn,” Savage agreed with a chuckle. “What is a… koy-i,” he sounded the word out slowly.

“It’s Twi’leki for serpent,” she smiled at him. Savage nodded, watching curiously as she paced the floor. “You’re a good listener, Savage. I can see why Naili likes you.” He opened his mouth to respond, only to be interrupted by the doors harshly swinging open.

“Naili, do not walk away from this!” Maul was saying, or more like yelling.

“I don’t wanna hear it, especially from you. You’re in no place to tell me what to do or where I can go. I’m here to keep the last remaining member of my family safe, I’m not going to run errands for you!”

“You were a valuable asset the last we met, and you will be so once again! If you don’t comply with my wishes, I will throw you and your sister back into space,” he loomed over her, standing to his full height. Kashvi knew what was coming, so she ran over to Naili and pulled her back by the arm. Savage also got a hold of his sibling, keeping him from killing the Twi’lek on the spot.

“If you two are going to kill each other, go do it on the sparring grounds,” Kashvi ground out. “Savage and I are tired of you two going for each other’s throats! Work it out in the field, not in the living room,” she pushed her sister towards the door. Luckily, they both allowed their siblings to lead them to the training grounds. They argued the whole way, causing some of the Mandos to whisper amongst themselves. Kashvi glanced at Savage, a little embarrassed about her sister’s loud voice.

Almost as soon as they got to the training grounds, Maul and Naili began sparring. Their fight was messy and reckless, both of them hell-bent on harming the other. There was no strategy to the way they fought. It was mostly failed attempts at drawing blood. “Naili has always been a bit hot-headed,” Kashvi sighed. “Even when we were young, any time she would mess something up, she would grab the nearest object and chuck it as far as she could. Or she would take her anger out on our parents.”

“I never knew what Maul was like when we were children. He was taken from our home before I could truly get to know his personality. But from what I can see now, he is also quick to anger. When he is wrong, he won’t admit that. It makes it hard to be his brother,” he shifted his weight.

“Well, that’s siblings for you. They get on your nerves but you can’t imagine your life without them,” she chuckled. A pained yell turned their attention to the fight before them. Kashvi didn’t know what had occurred, but Naili was now on the ground with Maul on top of her. He had pinned her underneath him.

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Naili had had enough of Maul. He irritated her like no other, but the worst part was, she still cared about him. That’s why, as he was actively trying to harm her during their battle, she never got close enough to draw blood. Maybe it looked different from afar, but she couldn’t bring herself to truly hurt him. Besides, she knew this fight was pointless. He was so much stronger than she was. He could easily kill her if he wanted to, but she wasn’t afraid. For some reason, she had a feeling that he wouldn’t kill her. These thoughts distracted her enough for Maul to sweep her feet out from under her.

Naili fell on her back, her head colliding with the ground under her. She couldn’t stop the cry of pain that left her throat. Before she could even try to get up, Maul was on top of her, pinning one of her hands above her head while he held the other with his hand. He straddled her waist, making sure she couldn’t wriggle out from underneath him. Despite the situation, a strong fluttery feeling made itself known in her stomach. She felt a light flush darken her Lekku, but she was too distracted to will it away.

Maul was mere inches away, close enough that she felt his breath on her cheek. His eyes held her own, never once glancing away. This close to him, she noticed things she had never observed before. There was a hint of a scar peeking out of his shirt. She almost wanted to run her hand over it. His tattoos were beautiful this close. It was a perfect pattern of swirls and lines. His horns were like a crown set upon his head, reminding her of a king. For the first time since she met him, she realized that Maul was very handsome. Naili found herself glancing down at his lips, a sudden strong urge overwhelming her.

He must’ve sensed the tension as well, because he had suddenly gone very still. He seemed to move closer before whispering, “you have been beaten.”

“Yeah,” she said dumbly. Without another word, he quickly got off of her, offering a hand to her. She hesitated before taking it to stand up. They clasped hands a bit longer than necessary before Maul let go.

“I no longer need your assistance,” he said before walking away. Naili stared after him, wondering what had just happened.

“What was that?” Kashvi asked.

“I…don’t know,” Naili replied, still staring after Maul. That fluttery feeling wouldn’t go away and that scared her. She knew what this was, had even felt it before, but she didn’t want to deal with it. It would only slow her down, distract her, and leave her heartbroken.

“Naili?” Her sister set a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m fine. I just need to…go back to my ship,” she walked off, ignoring Kashvi’s concerned looks. She and Savage stayed behind, wondering what had just transpired. Naili was gone for hours, sitting in the cockpit of her ship while mindlessly replaying recent events in her mind. Sometimes she would tinker with things to try to distract herself, but it was no use. As the sun set lower in the horizon, she finally decided to head back to the palace. Everything was quiet, something that she wasn’t used to.

The guards let her in immediately now that they knew she wasn’t a threat. She supposed she would have to get used to staying in one place as well. Then there was the fact that she didn’t know how long they would be living on Mandalore. It could be anywhere from weeks to years, depending on if Maul would still be ruling in the future. She had faith in him, but he could be overconfident sometimes. Ruling a whole civilization was very different from being an apprentice to a powerful Sith Lord. He wouldn’t listen to her, though, so she would rather not mention that to him.

As she got lost in her thoughts, Naili realized she had no idea where she was. She must’ve walked past her room while thinking about her situation. “Damn it, this is just great,” she growled. She didn’t want to check every door. What if Savage was resting? Or worse yet, what if she caught Maul in a private moment? Did Kashvi get back okay? What if she was lost too and got the attention of some less-than-friendly Mandalorians? Before she could fully panic, she heard a velvety voice trickle out from a bigger room to her right. There was no doubt about it, that was Maul.

She hid behind the corner, listening in on what he was saying. “Hm, this is most troubling. If the Hutts break away from us, they could be a formidable opponent,” Maul was saying.

“Should I prepare for an assault, my lord?” A man asked warily.

“No. Send spies to keep an eye on Jabba. If they find anything, report back to me immediately.”

“Yes, Lord Maul,” the man said before going quiet. Their conversation was over it sounded like. Naili peeked around the corner to see Maul sigh and slump onto the nearest couch. He looked exhausted.

“I know you’re there, Naili,” Maul spoke in a soft voice.

“Sorry, I got lost and I guess I just ended up here,” she shrugged. Silence fell between them for a few moments. “You look tired,” she blurted out before wincing. That was probably not the best thing to say to him right now.

“Thank you for that wonderful observation,” he rolled his eyes.

“Oh, come on, I didn’t mean it like that. You may get on my nerves but you’re still my friend,” she sat beside him. “Care to talk about what’s on your mind?”

“Why do you do that?” Maul leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

“Why do I do what?”

“I have been nothing but cruel to you, even going so far as to cast you out. Why do you still care?”

“I dunno,” Naili picked at her nails. “I guess I can relate to you in a way. We both lost so much, and now we’re suffering for it. Also, you’re an incredibly interesting person.”

“Oh really?” He scoffed, a smirk making its way onto his lips.

“Yeah, I mean, you can wield the Force, you have a very depressing background from what you’ve told me, and your mission is so large that it’s overwhelming. Besides, you haven’t been rude to me this whole time. I can see that you do care, but you’re afraid of showing it.”

“I must admit, you intrigue me as well. You dissect me as if I were some science project, revealing bits of me that even I wasn’t aware of. You may not have the Force, but you do have talent.”

“Did you just compliment me?” Naili gasped dramatically. “Wow, I can’t believe this. I would like to thank my mother and father,” she stood up.

“What in blazes are you doing?” Maul stared at her amusedly.

“I would like to thank my sister, who never stopped believing in me,” she started to fake cry.

“Naili, that’s enough,” he stood up as well.

“And finally, I would like to thank Savage, who put up with his brother even when he was being a total ass,” she waved at an imaginary crowd. She turned around to face Maul, who was suddenly very close. He was wearing a genuine smile, although it was faint. “Did I make you smile? Wow, now I really need an award,” she laughed.

“You are a curious thing,” Maul wondered aloud. Slowly, he reached up to graze his finger over her cheek, looking down on her with awe. That dark flush she felt earlier rose up her Lekku again. She stifled a gasp, trying to keep her eyes trained on his. In turn, she put a hand over his chest, beginning to lightly trace over the tattoos placed there. Her touch brought him back to reality as he almost jumped away from her and cleared his throat. “Right, well, let me show you to your room,” he walked away.

Naili stood there for a moment, letting out a sigh before following behind him. They didn’t say a word to each other, choosing not to talk about what had happened between them. Before she knew it, they were standing in front of her door. She felt like she should say something to him, but she didn’t know what. “Rest well,” Maul muttered before turning away.

“Maul wait,” she reached out to grasp his wrist. He froze at the touch but made no move to pull away. “Thank you, for taking us in. I know you have a lot going on, so I appreciate that you offered this place as a safe haven.”

“You are welcome,” he nodded his head, turning his hand to squeeze her own. She smiled at that, a warmth spreading from her chest.

“Goodnight,” she said as a goodbye.

“Sleep well,” he nodded before sauntering off. As Naili drifted off that night, a realization came to the forefront of her mind. She had feelings for Maul.

Chapter Text

“Kashvi, you’re holding it wrong,” Naili giggled.

“I’m sorry, I’m trying okay?” The girl rolled her eyes. “I’m just scared it’ll blow up in my face or something.”

“Vibroswords don’t blow up in people’s faces,” she shook her head in amusement. She’d been trying to teach her sister how to defend herself, so she thought training her with a sword would be the best way to do that. However, she was clumsy with the weapon, and seemed as if it was too heavy for her to carry. Typically, she would expect this kind of awkwardness among a person who had never held a weapon before. Kashvi, though, was different. She seemed to favor long range weapons like blasters.

“Alright, how about we try something else?” she suggested with a smile. Naili took her sword away and handed her sister a blaster. “Now, aim at the targets I set up. It helps if you keep both eyes open,” she patted Kashvi on the shoulder before stepping back. The other Twi’lek took a deep breath and aimed, her hands shaking a bit due to nervousness. She was not confident in herself, but she was able to hit the target. It was only a little off from the bullseye. “That’s good!”

“Really? I didn’t hit the bullseye,” Kashvi slumped.

“Vi, you’re only just learning. Besides, in a fight, sometimes merely wounding a person is the best way to win.” At that, her sister fell silent and dropped her weapon.

“Will I really have to kill someone one day? I don’t know if I could do that,” she wrung her hands together.

“I know, it doesn’t sit well with your conscious at first. When I first learned how to defend myself, I was against killing someone. But when Embo was severely injured, my instincts kicked in. We managed to get away, but I thought about that kill for weeks after.”

“What if I just avoid killing people?” A spark of hope lit up in her eyes. Naili swallowed a lump in her throat. Her sister was still so much younger than her, even if she was technically an adult. Her innocence was still there, although it had been broken in some places during her captivity.

“In this world, Kashvi, you can’t avoid the inevitable. For people like us, we gotta do what’s best for our survival, even if it means hurting someone. If you don’t learn that, then you won’t live for long.” Naili had to expose Kashvi to the harsh reality of the world, no matter if it was brutal on her. She only wished she didn’t have to teach her these things in the first place.

“I know,” her sister sighed, aiming at a target. This time, the bolt hit closer to the middle than last time. Naili smiled and patted her shoulder, trying to offer some comfort.

“That’s enough for now, why don’t you go talk to Savage? He likes when you visit him.”

“I was gonna go see him anyway,” she grinned, running off. Naili watched her go, seeing her as that 12-year-old girl for a moment. She’d been doing better mentally as their stay on Mandalore increased. She would still have nightmares, and sometimes she would have moments where she thought she was back with Atai, but she was happier. Kashvi had friends here, which was a privilege nowadays. She was just glad to see glimpses of her sister under all of that trauma.

“You are very similar to her,” a velvety voice sounded from behind her. At this point, she wasn’t startled by Maul’s ability to sneak up on her.

“Really? I don’t see it that way,” she turned to face him.

“She still has bits of her innocence left. I believe you do, as well,” he hummed.

“Well, whatever you see must be buried deep inside,” she chuckled. “She’s similar to Savage, I think. They enjoy each other’s company.”

“Yes well, he-“

“Please don’t ruin the moment by saying ‘he mustn’t get too acquainted,” Naili rolled her eyes.

“I was going to say he likes her too,” Maul crossed his arms.

“Oh,” she replied, not knowing what else to say to that.

“Let us see how well you’ve improved,” he said after a beat of silence, igniting his crimson blade.

“You’re on,” she grinned as she activated her own. The two warriors ran at each other, their blades clashing. This time, there was no malice from the two. This was a simple sparring match. Naili had gotten better at dodging his swings. She ducked and backflipped away from the ones she couldn’t block. Maul noticed that she had also improved on her stance and going on the offense. He found he also had to dodge certain swings once in a while. After a narrow miss, he circled her with a grin.

“You’re getting better,” he pondered before jumping at her. “But I haven’t taught you everything,” he suddenly used the force to pull her into him. Naili gasped as she dropped her weapon in shock, softly colliding into his chest. “If you were a real enemy, you would be dead.” He tightened his grip around her waist, keeping her against him.

“That’s not fair, I don’t have the force!” She huffed in frustration. She decided to ignore the creeping flush that was appearing on her neck.

“In a battle against a dangerous opponent, nothing is fair,” he noted. He let her go then but stayed close.

“You’re still an ass, Maul,” she laughed.

“And you are still irritating,” he smirked, pulling her in by the waist again. This was different. His mood had changed entirely. He was almost…flirtatious. She giggled at his antics, resting a hand against his chest. If he was going to torment her, she would do the same.

“I could be more irritating,” she challenged, leaning closer. She bit her lip as she glanced at his lips. His smirk never wavered.

“Mm, is that a challenge?” he purred.

“Maybe,” her breath sped up as he got nearer. The tension between them was pulled taut, so close to being broken. Naili stood on her tiptoes, waiting for him to kiss her. Their lips barely touched before the sound of Maul’s comm startled them both. He stepped away and composed himself before taking the call. Naili tried catching her breath, turning away to put a hand to her lips. They had almost…

“I am needed in the throne room,” Maul growled in frustration. “There’s been a disturbance among the crime lords.”

“Well, then I’ll see you soon?” She played it cool.

“Yes, we will discuss things later,” he looked at her for a moment, but she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He walked off without another word, clasping his hands behind his back. When he was gone, Naili lowered to the ground and put a hand to her temple. She didn’t know what was happening between them, but she was curious to find out.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

“Naili, are you even listening to me?” Kashvi lightly nudged her sister’s arm.

“Hm? Oh, yeah sorry,” she shook her head and tried to smile.

“You’ve been acting strange ever since our training session. What’s wrong?” Naili sighed, not sure how to express what was on her mind. She kept replaying her moment with Maul in her mind, wondering if she should’ve just went for it instead of waiting around nervously. She hadn’t seen the Zabrak since then, but she supposed he was handling the disturbance he mentioned earlier.

“Nothing’s wrong, I mean, not really,” she picked at her nails. “After you left, Maul and I had a friendly spar and, well, we almost kissed,” her Lekku flushed at the word.

“No way!” Kashvi gaped. “I knew there was something weird about you two. Savage and I talk about it all the time,” the girl gave Naili a playful side-eye.

“You two gossip about us? No wonder you’re such good friends,” she scoffed. After a pause, a thought crossed her mind. “Does he ever say what he thinks Maul is feeling?”

“Naili, do you have feelings for Maul?” Kashvi smirked.

“…Maybe.”

“Wait till Savage hears about this,” the younger Twi’lek grinned mischievously.

“Listen, I can’t control what you do, but if you do tell him, make sure he doesn’t say anything to anyone else,” Naili pointed a finger at her sister.

“Don’t worry, he doesn’t like talking to anyone besides us and Maul. He’s pretty antisocial. Anyway, Savage says that his brother seems to be afraid of his own feelings. Whenever he tries to talk to him about it, Maul just pushes him away. He says there’s a strong chance the man is attracted to you, but he may be scared of that attraction.”

“That sounds like Maul,” Naili slumped. She should’ve known better than to think he would go after what he desired. Besides, although they had shared glimpses of each other’s past, she still didn’t truly know why he wanted to rule Mandalore or acquire an army. It was for revenge, but on who?

An explosion shook the earth, causing the two sisters to stumble. Alarms blared throughout the palace, calling for reinforcements. “What was that?” Kashvi began to panic.

“Hold on,” Naili stood up and slipped on her helmet. “Savage, can you hear me?” She yelled into her comm.

“Yes, I can hear you,” his deep voice responded.

“What the hell is going on?”

“We’re under attack by the Night Owls!”

“What does that even mean?!” She groaned in frustration. However, he didn’t answer her, the line cutting off. “Kriff. Okay, I’m gonna go see what’s happening. I want you to stay here and keep hidden. Lock yourself in the refresher if you need to and keep that blaster handy.”

“No, I’m not going to sit here alone! What if you get hurt, or what if I get taken again?” Kashvi gripped Naili’s arm to keep her from going anywhere.

“Vi, I promise I will never let that happen again. This place is heavily fortified, you’re safe. I would take you with me, but you’re not fully trained yet. I don’t want you getting injured.”

“Fine,” the girl muttered.

“I’ll be back, I promise.” Naili ran out of the room, making sure the door shut tightly behind her. The palace was in disarray. Mandalorians were scrambling about trying to gather more weapons or quickly joining the fight. Naili went into the throne room, but the brothers were nowhere to be found. “Savage, do you read me? Maul, are you there?” She tried her commlink, but no one answered. Worry began gnawing at her heart, her stomach bubbling with anxiety. Instead of searching for the two, she sprinted outside, freezing at the sight of Mandalorians battling other Mandos.

Blue against red, it was a mess of colors that were once so familiar to her. These were the Night Owls, which meant Bo was among them. It would be highly possible that she would meet her former friend on the battlefield. Dodging a missile from the enemy, she ran at her opponent head on, using her grappling hook to tie him up before cutting him down with her vibrosword. She moved on to others, often teaming up with Maul’s men to gut their foes. As she was getting closer to the middle, she saw Savage killing Night Owls one by one. It was impressive, albeit somewhat surprising. She was used to the gentle giant she hung around, not this ravenous beast.

“Savage, where’s Maul?” Naili shouted across the field. Spotting her, he gave a faint smile.

“I’m not sure, we got separated,” he said before slicing a Mando in half.

“I’ll go find-oof!” The Twi’lek grunted as she was tackled to the ground. Kicking her attacker in the stomach to force them off of her, she rolled over only to see that it was Bo-Katan. “Bo!”

“Hello Naili, I see you’ve sided with these traitors. I suspected as much,” the red-head spat venomously, circling her.

“We may be enemies right now, but there’s no need for us to fight,” Naili tried.

“You chose your fate when you started befriending that outsider Maul,” the woman scoffed. “I thought I had gained a friend, but I guess I was wrong.”

“You don’t know him like I do.” As soon as she spoke, though, Naili knew she had said the wrong thing.

“He’s a Sith, Naili. You’re a fool for caring about him. He’s only using you for his own gain, that’s what dark siders do. You said it yourself, there can be no room for feelings,” Bo shrugged. Seeing there was no point in arguing with her former ally, she lunged at the Night Owl. The Twi’lek had an upper hand, as she had a formidable weapon, while the Mandalorian relied on her wits and brute strength. Naili used Maul’s training, but Bo was a cunning warrior.

Using a smoke bomb to hide her figure, the red-head managed to shoot the Twi’lek twice. Luckily, her armor prevented her from getting severely injured, but a bolt found its way between her shoulder and collarbone, taking her down. With her distracted, Bo flipped around to catch her in a chokehold, causing more pain to the wound. “Agh!” Naili cried, her breath struggling to escape her throat. The hold didn’t last long, as she snatched her fallen vibrosword. With this, she sliced at the Mandalorian’s thigh.

Bo fell on her knee, now unbalanced. Naili kicked her in the side, straddling her as she forcefully ripped the woman’s helmet off. She began ruthlessly pummeling her, most of her punches landing on Bo’s arms that were blocking her face. “He may be a Sith, but he’s more than that!” Naili found herself saying.

“Yeah right, you’re only defending him because you have a soft spot for him,” Bo laughed. As soon as she finished her sentence, the Twi’lek saw a flash of red across the field. Maul. Once again catching her off guard, the red-head pushed Naili off of her before retreating without another word. The Night Owl’s words struck a nerve, but she ignored them for the moment in order to get to Maul. He could handle himself, but she needed to see if he was alright. Limping over to him, she noticed a Mando about to shoot him in the back. Without hesitation, Naili shot the guy in the head before he could hurt the Zabrak.

Maul turned around at the noise, widening his eyes as he saw her limping into his battle. “Naili, you’re hurt,” he pointed out, trying to focus both on her and on deflecting the blaster fire.

“Yeah, I noticed. You okay?”

“I’m alright,” he snarled before stabbing a man with his lightsaber. They stood back-to-back, watching each other’s every move as if they had known each other for years. As she predicted, the battle didn’t last too long. Bo was calling for a retreat, causing the other Night Owls to fall away. The last to go were the few surrounding Naili and Maul. The Zabrak swung his lightsaber effortlessly, trying to deflect any bolts aimed for the girl behind him. It was a tense, bloody fight that ended quickly. The last Mandalorians retreated with their leader, leaving the pair of warriors panting with exertion below.

“Well, I guess I know what Night Owls are now,” Naili chuckled, wincing a bit at the pain in her shoulder. Her smile turned into a frown at the sight of Maul looking at her strangely. He was standing so close, almost like a mirror of events last night. “Maul, what’s-“ Her question turned into a muffled grunt of surprise as he pulled her in roughly by the waist and planted his lips against hers. The Twi’lek’s eyes fluttered closed, sliding her hand up to caress the back of his head. Desire flooded her senses as he pulled away, looking down at her with half-lidded eyes.

“Brother, do you read me?” His comm trickled in, the faint sound of static surrounding Savage’s voice.

“Yes,” an an-out-breath Maul replied.

“Are you well?”

“Yes, and so is Naili. We’ll head back now,” he slowly let go of the Twi’lek’s waist before returning to the task at hand. Naili couldn’t speak, she could barely move. Shock, glee, and desire outweighed any other emotion surging through her being. Dozens of questions flooded her mind, but she didn’t know how to ask them.

“Maul-“

“Quiet, we will discuss this later,” he didn’t look at her. “I must see to my troops first.” She just nodded her head, deciding to listen to reason this time. She was beginning to feel dizzy with pain. She barely registered Maul demanding a medic to lead her to the infirmary. Everything seemed to blur together after the battle ended. Her injury was treated, but she now couldn’t use that arm until it was fully healed. It was wrapped in a sling, the doctor telling her to keep the bacta patch on until further notice.

Naili eventually reunited with her sister, who had been kept safe by one of the Mandalorians, or Mauldalorians as they were now called. “I was so worried about you! I’m just glad your injury wasn’t worse,” Kashvi carefully hugged Naili.

“I’m alright, Vi, just exhausted. It wasn’t a long battle, but it was tough. I fought Bo.”

“Is Bo the one you were friends with before? I remember you briefly mentioning her.”

“Yeah, but her kindness to me is now nonexistent. I’m guessing that assault was an attempt to take back the palace. They were no match for us,” Naili grinned maliciously.

“I knew you would win, you were always tougher than I was,” the girl chuckled.

“Yeah, but you were better at hunting than me,” she nudged her sister playfully. The next few hours were spent recovering. Sometime in the middle of the chaos, Naili fell asleep, with Kashvi not far behind. Her sleep was light, however, as her injured shoulder made itself known multiple times. Later, she was awakened by the beeping of her commlink. Groggily, she opened the coded message, her heart skipping a beat as she saw that Maul wanted to see her. He requested that they meet in his quarters.

Carefully, so as not to wake Kashvi, she slipped out to do as he said. Anxiety ate at her stomach, but she steeled herself before knocking on the door. It opened to reveal Maul standing by the window. He must’ve used the force to let her in. “You wanted to see me?” She feigned ignorance.

“How is your shoulder?”

“As good as it can be. The doctor said it should heal in a few days,” she tried smiling before deciding she was too nervous for that. After a few beats of silence, she sighed. “Are we gonna talk about what happened? I’m guessing that’s why you wanted to see me.”

“I was blinded by the thrill of the battle and by my own desire. I should not have acted in such a way,” he looked down, seeming a bit embarrassed.

“Are you apologizing?” Naili asked. His silence confirmed her suspicion. “You don’t need to apologize, Maul,” she chuckled. At his surprised expression, she giggled. “Why are you so shocked?”

“I didn’t know you-“

“That I was attracted to you? Yeah, it took a while for me to come to terms with it, too.” She took his hand and led him over to the small couch.

“You…feel the same?” He still seemed like he was in shock. His reaction warmed her heart.

“Gods, Maul, how can you be both extremely smart but oblivious at the same time?” She grinned, trying to contain her laughter.

“I am not used to such…affections,” he admitted. Naili frowned, resting a hand on his knee.

“It was your master, wasn’t it?” He nodded.

“He never let me feel anything except hate and pain,” he growled. The Twi’lek hovered closer to him, anger clutching at her soul. How could someone so cruel corrupt this beautiful creature?

“We’ll talk about that later,” she changed the subject. “You’re still avoiding the situation.” Maul wouldn’t look at her, instead choosing to clasp his hands together. She frowned and slipped her hand in between his own, slowing as he flinched at her touch. “Maul, what’s wrong? What aren’t you telling me?” The troubled Zabrak swiftly stood up, pacing around the room as if he was trapped in a cage. She watched him in silence, waiting patiently for him to speak.

“This is…new to me,” he gestured to the two of them. “I don’t…” he trailed off. Naili was surprised to see him this way. He was usually so eloquent with his words, confident with his tongue. Now, he was reduced to this stumbling mess, cowardice overtaking him.

“This is new for me, too. I mean, I didn’t expect to fall for a Sith,” she laughed dryly.

“No, not that,” he groaned.

“Then what is it? You can tell me,” the Twi’lek stood up, wishing she had her other arm to hold him.

“No, I can’t,” he sighed.

“Maul, I’m not the type of person who makes fun of others’ weaknesses.” Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say, because the next thing she knew he rounded on her furiously.

“I have no weaknesses!” He loomed over her before realizing what he’d done. Despite his anger, Naili remained calm.

“Maul, I want to help you, but your anger is blinding you. You can’t expect this to work unless you talk to me,” she pleaded.

“Anger is all I know!” He blurted out, startling her to silence. With this confession, he sat back down on the couch, burying his head in his hands. Naili stood there for a moment, watching as this tortured soul punished himself. Of course, it all made sense now. Maul was so used to controlling others with his hate and anger, that he didn’t know how to make room for other emotions.

She moved to sit beside him, cupping his cheek to make him look at her. “It’s okay to be afraid, ardo.”

“Not for someone like me,” he replied sadly.

“Your master can’t hurt you from here. You’re safe, I promise.”

“How…do you know?”

“Because I know what this is like,” she leaned into him. “I know how it feels to constantly live in fear, to always put on a mask in order to survive. I know anger is all you have, but you’re so much more than that.”

“I’m not a trustworthy man,” he raised his head.

“I don’t believe that,” Naili smiled. Maul fully looked at her, then, studying her face. The way she touched him, talked to him, and even looked at him was so much different from how his master treated him. Maybe, for now, it wouldn’t hurt to go after the thing he desired most. He glanced at her lips, going in for a kiss before he lost the nerve. Naili happily met him halfway, gently kissing him in such a way it almost left him dizzy. He found himself smiling against her, a new feeling bubbling up to the surface. Happiness.

Chapter Text

Naili clutched onto the edge of the table as the doctor removed her sling and bacta patch, expecting a barrage of pain. Kashvi was right beside her sister as moral support, ready in case something went wrong. To her relief, Naili felt no pain, and her wound looked completely healed. All that was left was a ragged scar. “Great another scar,” she sighed. “Oh well, it can be a reminder that I won this battle,” she grinned.

“How are you so calm about this?” Kashvi frowned.

“Vi, don’t worry, I’m fine. This can just be another trophy like the others I have.” Her sister sighed, not wanting to argue any further. “Thanks for the help, doctor," she saluted before hopping off the table.

“I’m serious, Nai, what if you get seriously hurt one day? You shouldn’t be so passive about adding another scar to your ‘collection,’” she ran in front of Naili to stop her.

“I’m serious too. I’m careful, trust me. Bo was just a harder opponent, that’s all,” the Twi’lek continued walking, not wanting to talk about this anymore. Something, or someone, else was on her mind. Kashvi fell behind, watching as her sister faded away into the palace. She didn’t like that her sibling was keeping things from her. For the past few days, she’d been disappearing at random times, not coming back until late at night. There’d been a few moments where she caught Naili leaning against the wall, her Lekku flushed and her breath coming in rapid gasps. Kashvi knew better than to ask, but she was getting worried and suspicious.

Meanwhile, Naili was standing outside of Maul’s room, waiting to be let in. She was jittery with excitement, not able to sit still. She knocked again, but there was no answer. “Maul, are you there?” She called quietly, not wanting anyone to hear her. She glared at the door, knocking for the fifth time. “Hello? Are you gonna let me in or not?” Suddenly, an invisible hand swiftly pulled at her waist, careening her into someone’s chest.

“Impatient, are we?” Maul smirked down at her, tightening his grip.

“I didn’t know you were out,” she leaned into him. “I got my sling off. I’m all better,” she held out her arm happily.

“I see that,” he watched her amusedly.

“How was your meeting?”

“It was successful. Although, the Hutts do not favor loyalty.”

“I’m not surprised,” she scoffed. “What are you gonna do about it?” Instead of answering, Maul backed them up against the wall, standing to his full height. He ran his thumb over her cheek, getting ever closer. Naili’s heart was thumping against her chest so hard she knew he had to hear it.

“You never stop talking, do you?” He swooped down to kiss her, once again leaving her breathless. She didn’t know how he did it, but each time they were physical with one another, her breath was always stolen from her. He kissed her over and over, never letting her take a break or compose herself. He pulled away for just a moment, only to leave open-mouthed kisses on her neck. She gasped, gripping his hips to steady herself. At her touch, Maul made a noise low in his throat, something akin to a purr.

The world swam, her vision becoming blurry with desire. “Someone is approaching,” Maul whispered in her ear, quickly opening the door with the force to pull her inside. He listened until the footsteps faded away. Naili wrapped her arms around his middle, burying her face in his back.

“I don’t know how long I can keep this a secret,” she chuckled.

“It is getting increasingly hard not to think about you during the day,” he agreed, turning around in her arms to give her a peck on the lips.

“You think about me? Lord Maul, I’m flattered,” she batted her eyelashes playfully.

“It would be wise to refrain from calling me that,” he smiled at her antics.

“Why?” He gave her a look, causing her to blush. “Oh,” she avoided his gaze. “What if I don’t heed your warning?”

“If you don’t, you will never leave this room,” he ran his thumbs up and down her sides.

“I don’t see a downside,” she rested a hand on his chest. “I guess you’ll have to lock me up for my insolence, Lord Maul.” Naili giggled as Maul scooped her up, causing her to wrap her legs around his waist. He captured her lips with his, only breaking the passionate kiss to move her to the bed. He fell on top of her, chuckling low as she grazed the side of his neck with her index finger. The Zabrak once again moved to her throat, nibbling on it gently to conjure a noise from her. As he kept traveling lower, Naili began pulling on his shirt blindly.

“Take off,” was all she managed to say before he began kissing her again. If he wasn’t careful, she was going to come undone just from his ministrations. She quickly wrapped her leg around his to switch their positions. Maul looked up at her in surprise, his pupils completely blown out. She moved to straddle him, smirking in satisfaction as he let out a hiss. Slowly, she leaned down to plant soft kisses over his chest, carefully taking off his shirt as she did so. At first, everything was going well. They were both too lost in their own pleasure to think about anything else. However, as she pulled apart the deep V-neck of his clothes, he suddenly froze.

“Naili, wait,” he began to sit up, but it was too late. The Twi’lek stopped as she saw a long, jagged scar running from the middle of his stomach all the way to his left shoulder. Before she could ask any questions, he gently pushed her off of him and sat on the edge of the bed, his back facing her. He fixed his clothes so that they were back to normal.

“Maul?” Naili questioned, moving to sit behind him. He was staring at the ground, his hands balled into fists. “Hey, talk to me,” she rubbed his back soothingly.

“If you see me for what I am, you will turn away,” he all but whispered.

“What makes you think that? I would never, ever think of you differently just because of a scar.”

“It is not just a scar…not to me,” he sighed deeply.

“Will you tell me about it?” She rested her head against his back, kissing his neck lovingly.

“I do so love your touch, Naili,” he muttered.

“Maul, listen to me. I will not leave you for what you think you are, or because of your past. I would never do that to you. You’re too important to me for me to do that,” she kept rubbing circles into his back, hoping he would say what was on his mind. She sat in silence with him, giving him affectionate touches to soothe any troubles he had on his mind. After a few more minutes of this, he finally stood up. With a nervous frown, he took off his shirt to reveal the large scar that had become an insecurity of his since he got it all those years ago.

Naili walked over to him, hovering a hand over it as a sign of asking for permission. He nodded, so she slowly traced the raised line, in awe of how it sometimes wobbled as if the maker was in a rush to create this wound. “Who did this to you?” She looked up into his eyes sadly.

“A Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi,” he seethed, anger flashing in his yellow eyes. She decided she hated him already.

“Can you tell me what happened?” Maul looked down at that, seeming to think about her request.

“The events transpired on Naboo. My master had sent me there to kill two Jedi, master and padawan. I managed to kill the boy’s master, but failed to realize how powerful the padawan was. In my overconfidence, the boy severed most of my legs. I reached to bring him down into the chute with me, but he slashed my chest with his saber. I was close to death. The only thing that kept me alive was my overwhelming hatred for Kenobi.” As if remembering the pain, Maul rubbed at his leg with a faint wince.

“Most of your legs?” Naili echoed.

“If I hadn’t moved out of the way in time, my body would’ve been cut in half,” he frowned as a light shudder overcame him.

“What about your master?”

“He never came for me,” he stood up with a growl. “My master discarded me as if I were a plaything he was no longer interested in. I managed to create a pair of legs from the parts around me. I was alone, starved, and became a rabid animal. I remembered only bits of my life as my sanity left me. If it wasn’t for Savage, I would still be on that trash planet. Any longer there and I most likely would’ve died by my own hand.”

“How did you care for this wound?” She tried so hard to hold back angry tears.

“The force,” he shrugged. “I used my pain to survive.” Naili swallowed a bundle of emotion, focusing on lightly tracing the tattoos on his back. Maul held back a gasp at the touch, still getting used to the admiration she so often portrayed.

“You were probably so scared, so alone,” she frowned. “I can’t imagine how painful and lonely that must’ve been.” She hugged him from behind again, resting her head on his shoulder so she could kiss his cheek.

“You’re not…disgusted by my past?”

“What? Why would I be?” She turned to face him. “Everyone has a past, Maul, that’s what makes you, well, you.”

“But…” he looked down at his cybernetics, glaring at them.

“I chose you because of who you are, not because of who your master raised you to be. You’re so much more than your anger,” Naili bent to kiss down the old scar, making his head loll back in pleasure.

“I do not know how you bring up desire in me after what I just told you,” he chuckled softly.

“Call it a hidden talent,” she winked playfully. Maul smiled and fully sat up, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger,

“Like I said, you are a curious thing,” he gave her a few soft kisses. “Since I shared, will you tell me some of your story?”

“I guess it’s only fair,” she sighed, nervousness settling in her stomach.

“You do not have to,” he caressed her cheek. Naili leaned into the touch, reaching up to hold his hand.

“No, I’ll tell you. I just don’t know where to start,” she smiled.

“Tell me about your home,” Maul answered softly.

“Ryloth? I remember parts of it, but my experiences left my memory damaged. We lived humbly. My mother stayed home to take care of us and the meager garden we had. My father was the chief hunter of our village. He was away often, leading the younglings that had just come of age to hunt.”

“Did you ever go with your father?” Maul asked, completely enthralled with her story.

“No,” she shook her head, “women weren’t allowed to hunt. Our village was very traditional. But my father always took my sister and I to hunt in secret.” Naili smiled at the memory, glad that she had someone other than her sister to talk about her home.

“Naili, how did you get…” Maul trailed off, unsure of how to put his question.

“Sold into slavery?” She scoffed, finishing his sentence. “A raid was done on our village by slavers. Raids were popular on Ryloth since Twi’lek’s are the most desired species in the slave market. My parents tried to send us away during the attack but one of the slavers found us.”

“Your mother and father?”

“They were killed in front of us,” she closed her eyes, hearing the screams of her mother as they shot her father. Maul closed his hand around hers, furious that those cruel monsters would ever hurt his partner like that. “Those men ended up capturing both me and my sister, and we were together for a while. At first, we were sold to a man that needed personal servants. It wasn’t horrible, which made me have a foolish hope that this life wouldn’t be so bad.”

“What changed?” Maul frowned.

“The man sold us both and we ended up on a Zygerrian auction. I tried begging each person who took interest in us to buy us both, but they didn’t care. We got separated and that’s how we lost each other.”

“I…am sorry you had to endure such atrocities,” he hummed. Naili shrugged, not looking at him.

“That was my life whether I liked it or not. I was on Zygerria for five years after that, constantly being beaten and reprocessed when they realized I wasn’t about to go with them so easily.” Maul smiled at that, liking that her personality was the same as it was back then. “But slowly, over time, they broke me. When Embo found me stranded on Tatooine years later, I was like a feral animal. I was so scared of the world around me and untrustworthy of everyone that I refused to stray from his side. It took me a couple years to readjust to life. I still have moments where I revert to how I was before I gained my freedom.”

“I am sorry that I ever called you a slave,” Maul crinkled his nose in disgust with himself. “I should not have attacked you in such a way.” Naili smiled at him, reaching up to cup his face in her hands. He sighed at her gentleness, turning his head to kiss her palm.

“We both said things to each other that we regret, so let’s just forget about that. I’m glad I shared my past with you, I feel like I know you so much better now.”

“I agree,” he stared at her fondly. After a few moments, Maul frowned. “I did not fulfill your desires,” he stated.

“What? Oh, don’t worry about that,” she chuckled. “We can try again some other time. Anyway, I like talking with you.”

“As do I.”

“Do you remember your family, Maul?” Naili moved to lay her head in his lap, beginning to feel a bit tired. The Zabrak took her hand in his and began absentmindedly tracing the lines of her palm, pondering her question for a moment.

“It was not much of a family and no, I don’t remember much. On Dathomir, the nightsisters are the ruling clan. They travel to our village whenever they please, or during the Selection, taking a male for a mate in order to keep the bloodline alive. From what Savage has told me, our mother is the leader of the nightsister clan.”

“So, you don’t normally marry for love?”

“No, the clans don’t marry at all. We only breed to create offspring. If a daughter is created, she is taken by the sisters to be trained as one of them. I was fortunate enough to be acquired by my master before I was of age.”

“But if you weren’t separated from your brother, then you would have a better relationship with him than now,” Naili argued.

“Yes, well, my fate happened to fall on a different path. I barely remembered Savage as my master began training me. When I was rescued by him later, I only slightly recognized his face.”

“What about your other brother?”

“How do you know about him?” Maul furrowed his brow.

“Savage told me you two had another sibling,” Naili said.

“Oh. I know nothing about…Feral I think his name was. But Savage has discussed him with me, including what growing up with him was like,” he explained.

“Wow, so you never got to meet him. You don’t remember him at all?”

“I don’t believe he was born yet. Besides, if he had existed, we were so close in age I wouldn’t have remembered him. Savage said he was the youngest of us,” he shrugged.

“I wish I’d gotten to meet him,” Naili reached up to caress his cheek lovingly. He hummed in response, not knowing what to say to that. He glanced at the woman below him, feeling a warm sensation bloom in his chest. It was new and wasn’t terrible, which terrified the man.

“Naili, I…” he began, a thousand things on his tongue, but all of them sticking to his throat like glue.

“Yes?” She sat up.

“This feeling…that I have,” he shifted uncomfortably, “it’s new and I’m..” he sighed, clenching his jaw. Naili frowned, seeing the pain in his yellow eyes. He was terrified.

“Come here,” she moved away from him to pull the blankets away. “It’s been a long day, and we both need rest. I’ll stay with you tonight,” she leaned up to kiss his cheek. The Twi’lek laid on her back, pulling on her partner’s arm. As he began laying next to her, she stopped him. “No, I want you to try something. Come here.” She opened her arms. Maul hesitated, knowing what she wanted but almost too afraid to try.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. Cuddling with your partner is a good way to relieve stress. At least, that’s what I’ve heard.” Maul blinked at her. “Come on, my sister and I sleep close to each other all the time. Trust me, you’ll feel loads better.” He sighed and slowly moved on top of her, resting his head on her chest while he tangled his legs with hers. He felt himself flush in embarrassment, for the first time thanking the stars for his darker complexion.

“I don’t see how-“
“Frotz, Maul, you’re so tense I could punch you and you wouldn’t feel anything,” she chuckled. The Zabrak raised his head to glare at her, but that only made her laugh harder. “Okay, listen, close your eyes. Just breath, relish in the quiet, and relax your muscles.” Naili loosely embraced him, gently raking her fingernails up and down his back. She was acutely aware that he was still shirtless, but she wanted to focus on his comfort for now. She smiled as she felt him relax, glad that her advice worked.

“Your heart is strong,” he whispered sleepily. She blushed at the compliment, widening her eyes as she felt two heartbeats coming from him.

“Two hearts?”

“Yes, a common trait among my species,” he moved his arms so that they were resting partially underneath her. Maul fully put all his weight on her, beginning to feel safe once again. He made sure to be careful of his horns, not wanting to accidentally hurt her. After a few moments, he felt himself drifting off. “Thank you,” he rumbled, gently leaning up to give her a few soft kisses.

“Always, Maul, I will always be here,” she smiled, tightening her grip on him before falling asleep.

Chapter Text

When Naili awoke, the first thing she noticed was that she was very warm. As she began fully waking up, she pushed off the sheets and sat up. She reached over to the other side of the bed, expecting to find her Zabrak sleeping there. However, she found that his place was empty. Opening her eyes, her senses slowly returned to her. She heard the shower running, which meant it must not be that late in the morning. As she expected, the chronometer read 7 a.m. Memory of Maul cuddling her last night brought another flush to her Lekku, a smile creeping upon her lips. “Is that another blush I see, my dear?” A smooth voice traveled across the room.

Naili quickly turned towards him, about to praise him for the pet name he gave her, but froze in her place. Maul had just come out of the shower, a towel around his waist and his skin still damp. He was smirking at her, which quickly turned into a frown at her awed expression. Naili knew that this man had to be quite fit due to his talents, but she wasn’t expecting him to be some sort of god. Her gaze traveled downwards, stopping at his well-defined abdomen. He had to know what he was doing to her, or else she would be very embarrassed.

“Maul,” she cleared her throat, “I-I didn’t hear you get up.”

“You were asleep,” he raised a brow, “are you alright?”

“Mhm,” she nodded. She stood up, hesitating for a moment before slinging her hands around his neck to rest them there. “I’m just enjoying the show you put on for me,” she smiled, watching in satisfaction as he avoided her eyes in embarrassment. There may have been a light blush there, but she wasn’t quite sure. “You’ll have to tell me about these tattoos sometime,” she hummed, running a finger over his chest. He visibly gulped, causing her to giggle in delight. She reached up to graze her lips over his jawline, moving to his neck as he gave her access.

Maul caught her chin between his fingers, drawing her lips to his. She sighed into the kiss, tightening her hold. He rumbled deep in his chest at that, pulling away to smile down at her. “You don’t know what you do to me, Naili,” he gave her a few light kisses down her throat, gaining a slight groan from her.

“I could say the same thing about you,” she chuckled. She bit her lip as an idea formed in her mind, deciding to kiss down his bare chest. His long sigh of pleasure increased her ego, but he gently pushed her away. “Are you okay?” She asked in concern.

“Unfortunately, I cannot engage in…” he trailed off, trying to think of the right word before giving up. “I must attend to my troops and the syndicates I’m in charge of. I’m suspecting that some of the civilians may try to break the duchess out of prison.”

“Aw, too bad,” she playfully pouted, playing with the top of the towel around his waist. Maul caught her wrist, bringing it up to kiss her knuckles.

“I’m afraid if you go any further, I will be late to the meeting,” he all but whispered, his gaze dark.

“Oh alright,” she grinned, “I’ll let you go. But maybe when you get back we can try…again?” In response, Maul surprised her with a passionate kiss.

“Does that answer your question?” He asked as he pulled away.

“It does,” she panted. He gave her another, softer, kiss before disappearing into the refresher to change. “So, is there anything I can do to make your plans easier? Since I’m not gonna be doing hunter work for a while, I feel like I’m just in the way here.”

“I want you to be safe, but my plans are so complex that your help may be essential. I can make you my second-in-command,” he offered.

“Isn’t that Savage’s job?”

“There can be two.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” she laughed.

“I am this city’s ruler, I can do what I want,” he walked out of the refresher with an amused smile on his face.

“Well, thanks for the offer but I don’t know if I would do well under that kind of pressure,” she leaned into him as he pulled her in by the waist.

“You would be great,” he hummed.

“I think I’m good where I am for now.”

“I could make you the second ruler of Mandalore,” he said seriously.

“You would do that?”

“You have but to ask,” he gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I would give you anything if you asked. I would find a way to get it for you.” When she stared at him dazedly, he chuckled, dropping his head on her shoulder.

“Oh, do freykaa Zabrak, (Oh, my beloved Zabrak) you certainly know how to silence me with your words,” she embraced him.

“It is one of my many talents,” he dodged her playful hit.

“Alright, I have to let you go now or else I’ll never let you leave,” she giggled, pushing him towards the door. “Besides, I have to check on my sister before she realizes I’m gone.”

“At least let me walk you to your door,” he intertwined his fingers with hers. She nodded, letting him pull her along. Halfway there, his comm began beeping. “Savage is summoning me,” he groaned. “I must go, Naili. It seems he is wondering where I’ve gone.”

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll see you after your meeting. We can talk about your plans and perhaps have some…fun,” she hinted mischievously.

“I’m looking forward to it, my dear,” he cupped her cheek before leaning down to kiss her.

“I knew it!” A young voice cried, causing them to quickly break apart.

“Kashvi,” Naili blushed. Maul straightened under the young Twi’lek’s glare, not knowing what to do. “I’ll handle this, just go see Savage, okay? I’ll see you later,” she squeezed his hand. He nodded, giving her sister one more glance before walking off.

“Is that where you were last night? Were you two…messing around?” Kashvi put her hands on her hips.

“No, nothing happened I promise,” Naili blushed again.

“You weren’t gonna tell me about this? I thought we agreed not to keep things from each other anymore, Naili! Don’t you trust me?”

“I do trust you, it’s just…I don’t know. I just didn’t want you to be weirded out or anything.”

“Well, too bad, I’m still weirded out,” the girl crossed her arms angrily. “We’re supposed to trust each other. I tell you everything, especially about me and Savage.”

“Wait, are two…”

“No! He’s my best friend, kinda like my big brother. The point is, I tell you everything even if it takes me a while, why can’t you do the same?”

“I just wanted something for myself for once. I haven’t felt this way about anyone, or at least not for a long time. I honestly thought I was in capable of this ever since I escaped Jabba. It’s why I kept it from you. I just wanted to revel in this fluttery feeling on my own, at least for a little bit before I revealed it to you.”

“And I get that, trust me, I do. I’m so incredibly happy for you, Naili, but you could have at least told me not to worry. I thought you were doing something bad behind my back, or doing risky things that might reveal our location to Atai. You could’ve just reassured me that everything was fine,” Kashvi glared.

“You’re right, I could’ve done better at telling you bits and pieces,” Naili sighed. “I’m sorry, Kashvi, I wasn’t thinking. I was just too caught up in…everything.”

“Well, I can’t be mad at you forever. That blush looks good on you,” Kashvi laughed. Naili covered her face with her hands, her flush only more prominent as she became embarrassed. “Does he at least treat you well?”

“Very well,” she emphasized, laughing at the disgusted look Kashvi gave her.

“Ugh, okay well, I didn’t expect you to fall for a Sith lord, but I approve if he’s good for you.”

“Trust me, I didn’t expect this either.”

“You said you haven’t felt this way in a while? Was there anyone else before Maul?” Kashvi began walking to their room, Naili following behind her.

“There was one guy in the mines of Zygerria, a human. He was strong. I don’t know what happened to him. One day he just disappeared, leaving me behind. I was devastated because I assumed he was killed. To this day I wonder where he went.”

“Did he like you back?” Kashvi tilted her head.

“I’m not sure. I don’t think so, but we did become very close during the short time he was there. Anyway, that’s all in the past,” she smiled, pulling her sister in for a side hug. They continued walking to their shared quarters, enjoying the silence between them.

“Naili, I have a weird question,” Kashvi suddenly spoke up.

“What is it?”

“Savage has been telling me about their plans for Mandalore and he talks a lot about the duchess. I was thinking…do you think they’ll let me go visit her? I just want to see what all the fuss is about.”

“That’s a big ask, Kashvi,” Naili furrowed her brow.

“I know, but I feel like it’s the right thing to do,” her sister pleaded.

“Why do you want to see her, exactly?” Naili began to get suspicious. She wasn’t switching sides, was she? Were there even any sides to choose from? She was loyal to Maul, that much was true. She supported his vision, even if she thought he was overlooking many things. She had decided long ago to just go along with what he said, because otherwise she would form opinions, and those were dangerous.

“I dunno. I want to know why Savage and Maul are so serious about all this. It’s just…Savage seems so out of place in this world. He believes himself to be weak in comparison to his brother, and I want to know why he things that way.”

“You really love him, don’t you?” Naili crossed her arms with a smile.

“Of course! I’ve always wanted a big brother, and now I have one,” the girl grinned. “Anyway, do you think you could ask Maul for me?”

“I guess so,” Naili sighed, “but I can’t guarantee anything. I wouldn’t want to ruin his plans.”

“Come on, aren’t you curious about this duchess?” Kashvi nudged her sister in the arm.

“Of course I am, but this is Maul’s revenge, not mine. I don’t want to do anything that’ll keep him from that,” she furrowed her brow.

“Did I hear you two talking about the duchess?” A woman came up to the sisters. Naili instinctively held out an arm to protect Kashvi but removed it once she saw it was one of Maul’s troops. The Mandalorian had black hair that was almost styled in a sort of pixie cut. Her eyes stood out the most, mostly because they were a striking blue color.

“And who are you?” Naili crossed her arms in suspicion.

“The name’s Rook Kast, I’m surprised Lord Maul hasn’t mentioned me to you yet. I’m his second lieutenant, at least among the Mandalorian troops.”

“Woah, so you’re right in the front lines,” Kashvi poked her head out from behind her sister curiously. Kast nodded, amused.

“Well, we were having a private conversation,” Naili hinted, getting annoyed at this woman.

“Relax I’m not gonna turn you in or anything like that. I was going to offer to take you to see her,” Kast smirked.

“Really?” Kashvi stepped forward, her Lekku twitching in excitement.

“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea, Vi. I have to ask if Maul-“

“Lord Maul won’t care,” the woman scoffed. “If you’re around he won’t punish me for letting an outsider see the prisoner.”

“And how would you know that?” Naili frowned.

“Because he’s obsessed with you. Now come on, there’s no time to waste,” the Mando walked off. Kashvi snorted at Naili’s heavy blush creeping up her cheeks.

“Wait! How do you know that…” she trailed, off not knowing how to describe their relationship.

“Oh please, it’s obvious if you’re looking hard enough. He can’t keep his eyes off of you when you’re near, and he’s distracted a lot of the time. I warn you, if you tell him I’m talking about him like this he’ll cast me out,” Rook pointed a finger at the Twi’lek.

“I won’t but, he really acts like that?” Naili couldn’t help but smile, a little proud that she caused that sort of reaction in the stubborn Zabrak.

“Yep, he’s infatuated with you. Anyway, do you want to see the prisoner or not?”

“Yes please,” Kashvi spoke up, more interested in the duchess than Naili’s drama. As her sister and the first lieutenant began talking, Naili couldn’t help but ponder what Kast had just told her. Was it true? Was Maul really that committed to her? The words he had spoken earlier proved that much, but she didn’t really think about it until now. Did he…love her? No, that couldn’t be. They had just started...dating? She didn’t know what to call it, but they had just started spending more time with each other. Besides, he was so traumatized that she wasn’t really sure if he had that ability yet.

She didn’t love him, but her feelings went deeper than a mere obsession. She was loyal to him, ready to give up everything if he asked, but was that love? That sounded more like unwavering devotion, like how Kast was willing to do whatever Maul asked because she’s a soldier. Maybe devotion was a form of love, or maybe it was a sign that this was getting too complicated. Whatever it was, she didn’t want to think about it now. When she came back to reality, they were already in the prison area.

The mood instantly shifted as they walked around down here. There were more guards present, all fiercely watching them as if they were about to stage a prison riot any second. Kast used her status as a pass, giving some of the guards a salute. There were a handful of prisoners here, most of them left over from Satine’s reign. Knowing that she was a pacifist, Naili assumed they had all committed some sort of violent crime. Kashvi, meanwhile, was looking around in awe. She kept hanging back for a few moments, wanting to take in everything around her.

Naili didn’t blame her for being curious, especially since a big part of her childhood was spent in slavery, but she didn’t know how to feel about her sister’s sudden interest in the Duchess. “Kashvi, you’re really just curious about this whole thing? There isn’t some ulterior motive?”

“Naili, give me a little credit here. I haven’t been to a planet like this before, I just want to learn.”

“She’s right,” Kast shrugged. “You gotta give the kid a chance to spread her wings.”

“You don’t get to tell me how to raise my sister,” Naili grit her teeth. “But I suppose you have a point.”

“Good, ‘cause here we are,” the woman gestured to the cell in front of them. Behind the translucent wall was a petite woman kneeling on the ground, her eyes closed as if she were in meditation. Her blonde hair fell perfectly around her face, and her shoulders carried a sadness Naili knew all too well. This duchess was beautiful.

“What do you want?” The woman asked softly, a hint of anger tinging her voice.

“You have a couple curious visitors,” Kast planted her hands on her hips. At that, Satine carefully opened her eyes, frowning as she saw the two Twi’lek sisters staring at her.

“Wow, so you’re the duchess? You’re so pretty,” Kashvi kneeled in front of the door. Satine raised a brow, looking at Kast for an explanation. All the Mandalorian did was shrug.

“I’ll leave you to it, but don’t stay too long. Once Lord Maul’s done with his meeting, he’ll want to see you,” she patted Naili on the shoulder. Once she was gone, Satine turned her attention to the women in front of her.

“Why have you come here?”

“My sister wanted to see why Maul and Savage took an interest in Mandalore. My name’s Naili, and this is Kashvi,” she nodded towards the other Twi’lek.

“You’re on their side?” Satine scoffed and rolled her eyes. “This girl seems much too young to be caught up in a war. I would suggest you leave this planet.”

“It’s not that simple, duchess,” Naili sighed. She decided not to mention that she was dating the Zabrak.

“So, you really ruled this planet for your whole life? What was it like, how’d you do it?” Kashvi leaned forward expectantly. Satine gave her a soft smile.

“It was difficult, but I enjoyed doing it. I love my people. You must understand all I wanted was the best for them. I never wanted this war,” the woman frowned sadly.

“It must’ve been hard for you to see Maul and the others take over. I’m sorry that happened,” the girl put her hand against the glass. A spark of fear squeezed Naili’s chest. Kashvi wouldn’t turn on her, would she? That would make things even more complicated, especially since she promised herself she wouldn’t abandon Maul like his master did.

“Kashvi…” she began but stopped. What was she supposed to say? Her sister was free to form her own opinions, even if it meant they had to separate again. Still, she didn’t like this.

“You seem out of place here, young one. Why are you here?”

“We had no choice, Zygerrian slavers would just hunt us down again,” Naili explained, trying to reign in her emotions.

“You were enslaved? I am so sorry,” Satine looked up at her with kindness shining in her eyes.

“I’m here because my sister is here. I don’t want to lose her again,” Kashvi looked down at her hands. Naili could see the conflict boiling within her. It was painful to watch.

“Why did you really come here? There must have been another reason besides curiosity,” the duchess continued.

“I care deeply for my friend, Savage. He’s like a brother to me. I just want him to be free like me. Maul always bosses him around, telling him what to be and how to earn his place. I just wanted to see why he’s so loyal to his brother. I wanted to see the person that started it all.” Panic was settling into Naili’s bones. All this talk about freedom sounded like she was thinking about leaving. It sounded as if Kashvi didn’t like Maul or his vision all that much.

“And you thought I could give you advice?” Satine moved closer to the door.

“No, I want to form my own opinions. Like I said, I just want him to be free like I am,” the Twi’lek smiled.

“But are you truly free if you constantly follow in your sister’s shadow?” Satine’s gaze flicked to Naili. Kashvi went silent, the cogs in her head turning. Naili looked between the two women, anger rising withing her.

“That’s it, we’re leaving. You’re not gonna come see this woman anymore,” she grabbed her sister’s arm, dragging her away from the cell.

“What? Why? I can do what I want, I’m old enough to make my own decisions!” The girl tried to yank her arm away, but Naili was too strong.

“That duchess is bad news, Vi,” was all she said. She knew it was a poor explanation, but she was too afraid to say what was really on her mind. Satine was feeding her information that was influencing Kashvi. She wanted her sister to be free, but was she willing to let her go?

“Let me go, Naili!” The girl continued to struggle, causing a few heads to turn.

“Woah, what happened?” Kast joined them with an amused smirk.

“This doesn’t concern you,” Naili growled. She angrily stomped off, dragging her protesting sister behind. Once they were out of the prisons, she let Kashvi go.

“What is wrong with you? All I was doing was asking questions! Is that so bad?”

“You were asking the wrong questions, that’s the problem! That woman in there is the enemy, she was feeding you lies. I’m just trying to protect you.”

“Were you? Or were you trying to keep me by your side? You’re so scared that I’ll veer off the path you set for me, but what if I want something else besides this?” She gestured to their surroundings.

“I want you to be free!” Naili’s accent rang out, her voice rising in anger.

“Then let me do that! I can’t stay with you and the brothers forever. The more I learn about the world from Savage, the more I want to explore the galaxy. I’ve learned so much from him, he even promised to take me wherever I want to go once this whole thing is over.”

“The world is dangerous, Kashvi, I don’t want you getting into trouble! I don’t want to lose you again, you mean so much to me,” Nail began tearing up.

“I understand that, but you can’t just keep me locked up here. What if we’re on the wrong side? What if siding with Maul is the wrong choice?”

“No! You don’t understand him like I do. He may have problems, but-“

“And that’s your problem, Naili,” Kashvi poked her in the chest. “You’re so obsessed with Maul and your relationship with him that you can’t see what he’s doing is wrong. If you can’t see your own flaws, then I can’t stay with you,” she cried. As tears rolled down her cheeks, she began walking away, leaving Naili staring after her in shock.

“You can’t just walk away from this!” Naili shouted angrily.

“You’re not my mother!” Kashvi flipped her off, pushing past none other than Maul as she ran away. The Zabrak in question held his hands up in surrender, glancing between the two sisters. Naili, not seeing Maul yet, yelled multiple curses in her language while unbuckling her utility belt and throwing it onto the ground.

“Am I interrupting something?” Maul gave her a simpering smile. Naili harshly turned towards him with her fists raised, looking like she wanted to hit something. He calmly clasped her fist, raising a brow. “Would you like to spar?” In response, she activated her vibrosword. “Alright then,” he pulled out his lightsaber. Naili attacked first, her swings uncoordinated, sloppy, and incredibly violent. Maul remained calm, blocking and dodging every one of her attacks. “You’re falling back into old habits I see,” he noticed.

“Shut up, tun a’kei’ uza chi’kan!” (you son of a pervert) Naili shouted. Maul had no idea what that meant, but he thought it better than to ask. She kept attacking until she realized what her anger was causing her to do. With a furious roar, she deactivated her weapon and threw it on the ground. The adrenaline fueling her emotions slowly faded away. Tears blurred her vision as she sunk to the ground in anguish. Maul never thought he could feel genuine empathy for someone until this moment, seeing the woman he cared for sobbing on the ground.

“Come along, let’s go to my quarters,” he gently knelt down to whisper in her ear. All she could do was nod as he took her hand and led her away from the public eye. Naili tried so hard to reign in her sobs as he quickly took her away, but the tears just wouldn’t stop. She was still angry, but now confusion, fear, and betrayal were in the mix. It was all too much. As Maul led her inside, he gently gripped her arms to make her look at him. “Now, tell me what happened.”

“I’m scared, Maul,” she cried. “My sister kept saying strange things. I don’t know if she wants to stay with me anymore and that terrifies me! I’m scared she’ll go and join Bo Katan and her Night Owls, or she’ll sneak off somewhere I can’t protect her. I don’t want her leaving me,” Naili covered her eyes with her hand, taking a moment to cry. Maul frowned, hesitantly pulling her into his chest with care. He didn’t really know how to comfort, but for her he would try. To his delight, she instantly wrapped her arms around him.

“What spurred this argument?” He asked gently once her cries died down.

“If I tell you, you can’t be mad,” she looked up at him with a slight sheepishness.

“Tell me, then I’ll decide,” he teased.

“Kashvi wanted to see the duchess, so Kast took us there. I admit I was a little curious myself, so I allowed her to go. But what that woman was saying, it seemed to change something in my sister. I was scared, so I lashed out and dragged her back here.” She embraced him again, smiling the tiniest bit as he brushed his lips against her temple.

“You are not a prisoner here, you’re allowed to go wherever you wish,” he reminded. “As for your sister, she is still young. She will be influenced by the world around her, especially since she has been in captivity for years.”

“Imagine if it was Savage. What would you do if he suddenly ran off and decided to not support what you’re doing?” Maul opened his mouth to respond but found he didn’t know what to say. It was a hard question, one that he had been avoiding ever since his brother and Kashvi had been spending more time with each other. “That’s what I thought,” Naili said sadly. Maul wanted to comfort her, but he found he didn’t know how.

“I’m afraid I can’t do more for you,” he held her tighter.

“No, just you listening and holding me like this is enough,” she smiled, snuggling deeper into his chest. Once again, that strange warm feeling spread throughout him, making him smile. He kissed her temple, letting her lean into him for as long as she wanted.

“How was your meeting?” She asked once she had calmed down a bit.

“I am not worried about that right now,” he pulled away to look in her eyes, frowning when he saw they were red and swollen. “I do not like when you cry,” he muttered aloud.

“It had to happen sometime,” she sniffed and shrugged. Maul cupped her face in his hands, rubbing a few stray tears away with his thumbs.

“I do not know what I would do if Savage willingly left my side, but I do know that he survived well on his own before I came along.”

“That’s different,” Naili sighed. “Savage was built for survival. Kashvi doesn’t know much about the world yet. She’s still young. I don’t want her falling into the wrong crowd or worse,” she began tearing up again. The Twi’lek carefully wrenched away from his grip, moving to sit on the bed. She covered her face with her hands, letting out a few shaky breaths. “I just got her back; I don’t want to lose her again.” Maul hated that he felt powerless to stop her from crying. He sighed and sat down beside her, resting a hand against her back. He gingerly grazed a finger on the side of her cheek, marveling at how smooth her skin was.

“Would you like to lay with me?” He asked shyly, remembering her advice from earlier. Naili looked at him with watery eyes and gave him a slow nod. Despite his embarrassment, he moved the covers away and laid on his back, waiting for her. His attempt at making her feel better prompted a small puff of a laugh to bubble out from between her lips. She wiped her eyes before climbing on top of him, laying on his chest while she tangled her legs with his. She wrapped her arms around his torso, already feeling her fear fade away. Maul rubbed circles into her back and kissed the top of her head lovingly.

“I’m sorry I called you a son of a pervert,” she said suddenly.

“What?” Maul lifted his head in confusion.

“When I sparred with you and told you to shut up. I called you a son of a pervert in Twi’leki,” she looked into his eyes apologetically. Maul covered his eyes with his hand and started laughing.

“Hey, I’m trying to apologize,” Naili smiled, her Lekku flushing. He only laughed harder, his shoulders shaking with the effort. “Stop laughing it’s not funny!” She hit his chest playfully.

“Out of all the things you talked to me about and you worry about calling me a name,” he chuckled, trying to reign in his amusement.

“I was in a state of distress, okay? I wasn’t in my right mind,” she buried her head in the crook of his neck.

“Of course,” he teased before breaking out into another fit of laughter. Naili groaned, cuddling deeper into him to escape his mocking.

“Hey at least I succeeded in one thing,” she said.

“And what is that?” Maul glanced between her eyes and lips.
“I finally got you to laugh,” she bit her lip in excitement. He hummed, rubbing his thumb up and down her arm.

“You have a way of doing that to me,” he complimented. Naili giggled, leaning up to kiss him. He gladly met her halfway, making sure to kiss her with as much tenderness as he could muster. After a few more moments, Naili pulled away and went back to laying on him. Maul held her tighter, wanting to shield her from her problems.

“Thank you,” the Twi’lek whispered before closing her eyes.

“Always, my dear.”

Chapter Text

Savage watched his angry friend pace in front of him, speaking fluent Twi’leki so fast he couldn’t keep up. He already barely understood the language, but now it was incoherent. He listened anyway because what else was he supposed to do? He didn’t understand what she was saying, but he definitely caught a few curse words in there somewhere. Not being able to just sit and listen anymore, he sighed and kneeled next to her, stopping her rant with a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Kashvi, I want to listen to you, but I can’t understand you,” he rumbled sheepishly.

“Sorry, Savage, I’m just so pissed,” the girl ran a hand down her face in exasperation. “My sister wants me to be by her side always, but I want to find my way in this galaxy. I want to discover who I am, and I can’t do that if I’m stuck here.”

“What do you plan to do?”

“I dunno,” she replied, avoiding his eyes.

“Kashvi,” he warned. He knew that look; his brother had made it a thousand times.

“Savage, I can’t stay here. I love my sister, but I can’t be locked in another cage,” she sighed sadly.

“I…understand,” the Zabrak looked down. He had grown very fond of this girl. He had never had a sister before, but he liked to think Kashvi was his family in a past life. He also understood what being trapped felt like. That witch Ventress had used him, Dooku thought of him as a monster, and his brother…well, he didn’t know how to be a brother. Kashvi and Naili had been the only ones to treat him with true kindness, although he saw glimpses of a soul in Maul sometimes. He didn’t want to see his little sister leave him, especially not now, but he would respect her decision to do so.

“Hey, I’m not leaving for good. I’ll come visit sometimes so you don’t get bored,” she reassured him. “Unless you would wanna come with me?”

“What?” Savage widened his eyes in surprise. Leave his brother and Naili to go exploring the galaxy with Kashvi? He thought that sounded splendid. For once in his life, he knew what he wanted to do with his life. Better yet, he had found someone who saw him for what he truly was. Would he risk his connection with Maul to keep his new sister safe? The thought was certainly tempting; in fact, he almost said yes right away. At this point, he would do anything for Kashvi. However, he knew where he was needed. “I…can’t,” he frowned.

“Are you sure?”

“Perhaps, when my brother is finished with his revenge, I will go with you,” he shifted uncomfortably and gave her a tiny smile.

“Why are you so loyal to him?”

“Because he is my brother. I owe it to Feral to take care of him. He’d always wanted to meet Maul,” he closed his eyes to let go of the emotions bubbling up within him.

“I respect that,” Kashvi leaned her head on his arm. “I wish I could be that loyal to my sister, but she’s changed so much since we were kids. I mean, I know she’s been through a lot, but it’s like I barely recognize her.”

“I did not recognize my brother when I found him, either. He was more animal than man. Even now, I still sometimes see that part of him. But I stay because he needs me, whether he wants to admit it or not. I’m the one that calms him when he has nightmares, I put his mind to rest when he thinks he sees his master, I have a duty to take care of him,” Savage sat up tall, proud of his words.

“You’re a good brother, Savage. You’re incredibly selfless, and I admire that about you,” Kashvi paused. “But I’m not like you. I’m a selfish person, and I haven’t allowed myself to listen to my own needs in a long time. Right now, I need to be on my own. You’re welcome to join me when you’re ready.”

“How are you going to get off the planet?” Savage wondered, still not sure if her decision was a wise one. After all, she was still very young, and didn’t know much about survival skills.

“I’ve been coming up with a plan ever since my fight with Naili. I’m sorry Savage, but I can’t tell you the plan,” she smiled apologetically.

“I understand,” he sighed. He had a gut feeling that the next time they saw each other, they would be on opposing sides. It was hard to let her go, but he knew why she needed to do this. He himself had thought about leaving a few times but had never acted upon it. He loved his brother too much to betray him now. For a brief moment, he wondered if he should tell Naili about her decision, but he quickly dismissed that idea. It wasn’t his information to give and besides, the two sisters needed to know how to be loyal to each other. For now, he would watch Kashvi’s success from afar, waiting until he could traverse the stars with her.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************

Naili had every intention to continue Kashvi’s training in the morning, more so that they would have a chance to talk after their fight. She had slept in Maul’s room again, but when she woke up he wasn’t in the bed with her. After freshening up a bit, she went to the room that she shared with her sister, but Kashvi was nowhere to be found. That’s how she found herself bored, with nothing to do except spot check her ship. She needed to do a flight test anyway, just to warm up the engines a little. She and her sister had officially been stuck on Mandalore for a two weeks, and now it was getting closer to three. She was seriously considering taking a few jobs from nearby space stations in order to earn more money.

However, that wasn’t about to happen anytime soon. She first had to make peace with her sister. Maybe she had acted too much like an overprotective mother. There was nothing wrong with wanting to explore the galaxy, but the way she was talking about the brothers didn’t sit right with her. Naili wanted Kashvi to have her freedom, but if that meant that she wanted to stray away from Mandalore, then maybe it was better to keep her close. Naili shook her head and groaned, trying to focus on cleaning her ship’s cockpit. She could feel the stress building on her chest. What she needed was a distraction, but a certain crimson Zabrak was missing in action.

Just then, a noise from the ramp caused her to put her hand on her blaster. Luckily, it was only Maul. “I still haven’t gotten used to you sneaking up on me like that,” she chuckled. “How’d you find me anyway?”

“You are very good at projecting your emotions, my dear,” he tilted his head curiously.

“It’s that obvious?” Naili sighed. She had thought she had gotten better at that since Embo took her in. Before she could react, Maul pulled her into his chest to kiss her. She made a muffled noise of surprise before quickly melting into the kiss. It didn’t last very long, but it certainly did the trick.

“It seems you are in need of a distraction,” he stared darkly down on her. A shiver ran down her spine, but it was one of anticipation. Maul backed her into the wall, latching onto her neck to give her a few open-mouthed kisses. Naili’s breath hitched, her eyes fluttering shut in pleasure.

“M-Maul, what’s gotten into you?”

“You have, my dear Naili,” he kissed along her jaw fondly before pulling back to slip his gloves off. Before she could reply, she shivered again at feeling his bare hands on her side for the first time. She let out a small giggle of delight, quickly discarding her utility belt. She pushed on his chest a bit so that she could unclasp her armor, revealing her soft, black undershirt.

“Maul, can I…?” She pulled on his shirt eagerly, almost too impatient to wait for his permission. He gave a single nod before lifting up her undershirt and pressing his lips to her stomach. Naili stifled a moan, her Lekku flushing in embarrassment and pleasure. Maul stopped for a moment to help her take off his shirt, seeing as she was having trouble. They both chuckled, meeting halfway to engage in a passionate kiss. The Zabrak rested on top of Naili, using his knee to spread her thighs apart. The Twi’lek gasped at this, not knowing how to react to this new sensation.

In response, she started lightly scratching her nails along his tattoos, earning a low groan from the man. Slowly, she moved her fingers to the base of his horns, circling them to see what he would do. He gently bit down on her bottom lip, hissing as she kept up these ministrations. He couldn’t wait anymore, so he took off her shirt, feeling a burst of pleasure pool in his lower abdomen at the sight of her. Naili started to move against him, anticipation causing her to wriggle in delight. She arched her back to let him unclasp the cloth binding her chest. As he fiddled with it, a sudden, rather loud, beeping noise rang throughout the cockpit.

“Lord Maul, we anticipate the civilians will attempt a prison break any minute now,” the commlink on his discarded glove interrupted. Maul groaned in annoyance, trying to ignore the incessant calls. He leaned down to give Naili small kisses on her collarbone. “Lord Maul, do you read me?” The Zabrak angrily called his commlink to his hand with the force, hitting the button.

“Yes, I am here. I will be arriving at the throne room shortly,” he barely contained his furious growl.

“Of course, Lord Maul,” the Mandalorian on the other end responded before falling silent. Maul took a breath before looking sadly down at Naili.

“I apologize, Naili, I must see to this,” he sighed.

“It’s not your fault,” she responded, still a bit out of breath. “We can always continue some other time,” she smirked at him.

“Give me a moment to compose myself,” he carefully climbed off of her to sit against the wall. Naili reached back to fix her bindings, holding the front of it with one hand. She was a little disappointed that they had been interrupted, especially since they were so close. She could tell Maul was beating himself up that he couldn’t fulfill her desires, but it was no fault of his. Sometimes more important things arose, and she respected that. After putting her undershirt back on, she went to sit next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

“Do not blame yourself, ardo,” she kissed his jaw. “You’re a busy man, sometimes these things happen.”

“All I want, in this moment, is to be one with you. I hate being interrupted,” he sneered. Nail blushed at his words, holding back a laugh at his pouty expression. She kissed the corner of his mouth, prolonging it for a bit.

“Well, I love every moment I spend with you, whether we’re interrupted or not,” she grinned.

“As do I,” he faintly smiled, gently pulling her in to give her a kiss. Naili was the first to break the connection, seeing as if they kept this up any longer Maul would’ve never made it to the throne room. “Would you, er…” he looked away, feeling his skin warm.

“What’s this? Is Lord Maul feeling embarrassed?” Naili teased. She took his hand in hers, knowing it would be safe since nobody was around at the moment.

“I do not mean to send you away, but I fear they will be suspicious of me if we walk in together,” he squeezed her hand apologetically.

“No need to be sorry, Maul. I was planning on coming in a different way anyway,” she puffed out a laugh. She gave him a quick kiss to reassure him. He smiled, gingerly kissing her forehead as if she were a delicate piece of glass.

“I will see you shortly, my dear.” He then disappeared into the throne room, leaving a flushed Naili behind. She loved it when he acted this way. It was one thing to see him bask in the respect his troops gave him, but when he was sweet towards her…well, it made her feel like a hormonal teenager. Naili shook herself out of her thoughts, deciding that she wanted to check up on Kashvi. They still hadn’t talked since their fight, and now she was getting worried. However, as she opened the door to their room, Kashvi was nowhere to be found. She even checked Savage’s room, but realized that he was most likely with Maul. As she found her way back to the throne room, she became even more alarmed when she didn’t see her sister there.

Maul had just sent some of the men away with orders to bring the Duchess back when she arrived. Naili watched him with a smile, her chest warming at the sight of him. She so loved it when he acted like the ruler she knew he was. Her gaze traveled to Savage, who was standing to the right of his brother, his presence menacing as usual. He spotted her, subtly nodding his head to direct her to the throne. As she came up to Maul’s other side, she quietly leaned in to whisper. “Kashvi’s missing,” she spoke quietly.

“She wasn’t in her room?” He turned to look at her. She shook her head with a worried frown.

“I haven’t seen her since our fight. I’m worried, Maul. What if she’s getting into trouble?” Maul looked at his men, seeing they were preoccupied with following Satine’s movements. He covered her hand with his.

“I will help you find her. I can send a scout to retrieve her,” he suggested.

“No, she’ll only hate me even more. Can’t you use the force in some way?”

“That is not how the force works, my dear,” he held back an amused smile. Naili was about to argue when she was interrupted by a trooper.

“Lord Maul, the men have found the Duchess. She’s escaping in a speeder with several civilians,” the man reported.

“Excellent. Pursue them, but make sure she sends out a message before capturing her,” he clasped his hands together.

“Don’t you want her back?” Naili asked in confusion.

“If the duchess contacts the Jedi, we have a higher chance of bringing Kenobi here,” he patiently explained.

“Huh, that’s a pretty good plan. Then you plan to kill him, correct?” Naili began catching on. She often marveled at how well thought out her partner’s plans were.

“Precisely,” he sneered. Naili grinned along with him. She’d been wanting to meet this “Kenobi” for quite some time. What he’d done to Maul was unforgivable in her eyes, especially since she’d seen a lot of fear behind the zabrak’s eyes when talking about the fight. She hated seeing that fear. She already knew how it felt and how debilitating it could be. Knowing that Maul had experienced worse hurt her. “You do not have to stay, Naili,” Maul said. “I will be back shortly if you would like to go to my quarters.”

Naili thought about it for a moment, gazing at the small crowd before her. She wasn’t much help here, and she couldn’t talk to the brothers freely. Maybe it would be better if she hid herself away for a while. It would give her a chance to call her sister. She nodded, walking off to do as he said. Once she sat on the bed and settled down, she pulled out her commlink. What would she say to Kashvi? She could understand why she was angry at her, but Naili didn’t want her sister to leave. There were so many ways that she could get hurt, especially since she barely knew how to take care of herself.

With a sigh, she activated the communication device. “Kashvi, are you there? It’s me, Naili,” she waited for the girl’s voice, but all she heard was static. “Listen, I know you’re mad at me. I just wanted to talk to you that’s all. I know you’re around here somewhere, and I’m getting worried that I can’t find you.” Again, more static. “Kashvi, please answer me. Maul’s plan is about to be enacted and I don’t want you caught in a war without me there.” No answer. Naili gave up and threw the device down on the ground. This was ridiculous. Maybe she had spoken out of line earlier, but that didn’t mean Vi should purposely ignore her.

She wondered if Maul and Savage ever fought like this. That would certainly be interesting to see. Well, maybe it was more Savage trying to talk while the other got angry. Had she been too hard on her sister? Maybe if she hadn’t dragged her out of the prison, she would’ve listened to reason. Naili groaned and flopped down on the bed. They had never fought like this when they were young, why were things different? Sure, they had both changed a lot over these years, but she never thought they wouldn’t be able to get along. Maybe she should ask Savage for advice. He and Kashvi always seemed to be hanging out.

Now that she thought about it, what would happen now that Maul’s plan was finally coming to fruition? Would she want to go back to bounty hunting? Would she be willing to teach Kashvi all she knows? There were so many what ifs that it made her dizzy. She hated feeling so helpless. It seemed like all she was good for around here was…making out with Maul. What would become of her once Kenobi was killed? It was all too much to think about. She was causing herself to panic. “Naili?” Maul’s voice snapped her out of her spirling thoughts. “What is-“

Without thinking, Naili ran straight into her partner’s chest, wrapping her arms around him as if her life depended on it. She had no idea where all these emotions came from, but she suddenly found herself crying. “My dear, whatever is the matter?” Maul rested his head on hers, embracing her.

“I-I don’t know…everything and nothing,” she sobbed pathetically. He gently pried her off of him and led her to the bed, sitting her down. He kneeled in front of her, taking her hands in his own.

“Naili, tell me what is wrong,” he frowned, wiping fresh tears away with his thumb.

“I can’t find my sister! I’ve looked everywhere, I’ve called her but she hasn’t answered, and she won’t bother contacting me. Then I started thinking about our fight and how maybe I was too harsh on her, then that got me thinking about my own future and what I’m doing here. What’ll happen when you finish your plans? I already feel useless already, so maybe I should go back to bounty hunting, but I also don’t want to leave you. I feel so…safe with you, Maul and that scares me. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before and I don’t know how to react to that. I act all confident, but I’m actually terrified about the future or what’ll happen to you. Also, I don’t think-“ Maul interrupted her by cupping her face in his hands.

“Naili, darling, breathe,” he reminded her, pressing his forehead to hers. The Twi’lek stopped, staring into her partner’s eyes in awe. This man was such a mystery to her. One minute he was shy and seeking her advice, the next he was confident and stealing her breath away. She adored him, to the point where she was scared to lose him. That thought terrified her. “Come here,” he frowned, pulling her into his chest. She immediately obliged, scooting closer so that she was practically resting in his lap.

“I fear I’ve already lost my sister to my own foolishness. I don’t want to lose you, too,” she sniffed. She clung onto Maul’s torso tightly, much like she used to do with her mother when she woke up from nightmares. She could tell he wasn’t sure what to do at first, especially since his muscles were drawn taut. In her panic, however, she didn’t care. She already felt better nestled in his arms.

“Naili, do you remember what you said to me when I expressed my fear of my master?” He all but whispered, gently pulling her away from his chest. “You told me that I am safe here, and that he cannot hurt me from here.” At her silence, he tilted her chin up and chased her eyes down. “Don’t you think that if your words are true, then you won’t lose me?” Naili wiped her eyes and looked at him with a furrowed brow. She supposed he had a point. Mandalore was the safest place for them both right now, which meant Maul was also out of harm’s reach.

“But what about the conflict here? If Bo Katan got her hands on you-“

“My dear I am much stronger than that, I can assure you,” he chuckled, cupping her cheek in his hand. She leaned into the touch, reaching up to hold his hand.

“I guess that’s true since I still haven’t really beaten you in a fight,” she smiled. Maul puffed out a laugh, giving her a peck on the lips. “But what about Kashvi? I think I’m losing her.”

“I understand. I feel the same about Savage. He has been telling me his curiosity of the world lately. It is…odd.”

“My sister’s been saying the same thing. It would be fine with me if she had a little more training first. She’s also been saying things about how I’m on the wrong side and I shouldn’t be supporting you,” Naili scoffed. “Right, like that’s gonna happen. You’re stuck with me now,” she smirked, playing with the V-neck of his shirt.

“It seems so,” he agreed, watching her fondly. He frowned a bit as her fingers skimmed over his scar, which didn’t go unnoticed by Naili.

“Hey, it’s okay, ardo. We established this, remember? I’m not leaving anytime soon,” she traced the tattoos on his collarbone. He hummed, grazing his lips over hers. Naili threaded her fingers in between his horns, circling the base of one like she did earlier. In response, he made a low noise in the back of his throat, the kiss quickly turning sexual. Naili suddenly stopped, pulling away for a moment. “What do you have planned tonight?”

“Nothing,” he gave her a slight smirk.

“Oh thank the stars,” she whispered out before kissing him again, this time more passionate. Maul fell back against the pillows with a chuckle, letting Naili straddle him as she continued her exploration. She pulled his shirt up and over his head, exposing bare skin and more tattoos she had never seen before. Maul tried and failed to hold back any noise as she traveled lower, kissing his abdominal muscles and smirking as they quivered under her touch. She made sure to slowly trace his tattoos with her nails, loving the way he groaned in pleasure. She wanted to make him feel good, to make this last. After so many interruptions, she finally had him all to herself.

As she skimmed the rim of his pants, he arched slightly, letting out a deep moan. “N-Naili my dear,” he panted, “how do you do this to me?”

“What can I say? I’m a woman of many talents,” she winked, causing him to laugh. In her distraction, Maul managed to switch their positions. He wanted to cause her pleasure as well. He carefully removed her shirt, letting his eyes roam her body before latching onto her neck. She squirmed underneath him, almost making him lose himself completely. He decided to do the same thing she did and kiss his way down to her stomach. “Oh sweet stars,” Naili groaned as she felt his tongue peek out to give her a hickey. Maul hummed in satisfaction, parting her legs with his knee. The new pressure caused her to seek it out, trying to make him focus on what she needed most.

“As much as I love this,” Naili paused to bite back another moan. Maul had begun removing her bindings. Every touch, every graze of his fingers sent her skin on fire. “I can’t wait any longer,” she panted out, reaching down to tug on his pants.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” he looked at her, a darkness settling in his eyes that excited her. With his confirmation, Naili fully surrendered herself to him.

Chapter Text

Savage sighed as he ended his call with Kashvi. He didn’t like that she wanted to keep their talks secret. He usually told his brother everything, but lately he, too had been keeping secrets. This, however, was Naili’s sister. It felt wrong to lie to her about Kashvi’s whereabouts. He knew that all the young Twi’lek wanted was to explore the galaxy, but he wasn’t sure running off was a good way to go about it. He understood her reasoning, more than she knew, but he couldn’t help but feel he should tell Naili, even if it would ruin their friendship. Not to mention what Maul might do to the girl if he found out what she was doing.

Savage sighed again, wanting peace and quiet for once. This whole revenge business was getting tiring, and he just wanted to get away from it all for a while. He couldn’t tell his brother that, though. No, that would be a disaster in the making. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to talk to him, at least to share his feelings about his weariness. It’s possible Maul would be a little forgiving. He did seem to be changing somewhat. Naili must be doing something right for him to look relaxed most of the time. Savage froze, breaking out of his musings. He thought he heard something.

Straining his ears, he listened for anything that sounded out of the ordinary. There it was again! It was faint, and sounded as if someone was muffling the sound, but it was there. Surprisingly, it seemed to be coming from Maul’s room. Was he having another nightmare? Upon focusing on the sound harder, Savage realized that, no, Maul was most certainly not having a nightmare. To his horror, the…noises were growing louder. He knew his brother’s feelings towards Naili, but he hadn’t the slightest idea that they were on that stage yet.

Savage stood up, going to the wall to pound on it and tell them to shut up, but he decided not to. Maul would most likely be too embarrassed to show his face to his troops if his pleasurable experience was made known. Besides, his brother needed this. He already had endured so much, so why would Savage ruin that for him? However, he couldn’t stand to sleep in the room next to his brother’s. With an annoyed huff, he walked out to go rest in Kashvi’s room. Nobody would be in there anyway.

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Maul’s limbs trembled as he lay on top of Naili, panting into her neck with exertion. The last bits of pleasure spilled from his veins, turning into exhaustion. His skin was on fire, sweat making it slightly glisten. He still had his hand loosely wrapped around Naili’s wrists, holding them above her head. That was better than…well, than anything in his life. But now he didn’t know what to do next. The reality of what they had just done settled into him, causing a light flush to darken his cheeks. “Maul, are you alright?” Naili slipped her hand out from his to rub his back soothingly. She was panting as well, but seemed to be in a better condition than he was.

Finally, he snapped out of it. He propped himself up on shaky arms, looking down at his lover in awe. His movement caused her to bite her lip, trying not to let out any more noise. “Oh, um,” he mumbled sheepishly (a very unSith-like thing to do) and carefully removed himself. He was overstimulated and now shy, fearing that one touch and he would be ready to go again.

“You can’t be shy with me, now,” Naili giggled, “not after what we did.” She frowned at his troubled expression. “What’s wrong, ardo?” She reached over to kiss his cheek.

“Forgive me, I am just not used to such…” he trailed off as he tried to come up with a word to describe what he was feeling.

“You wanna know something? It was my first time too,” she laid her head on his chest.

“Really?” He wondered in shock.

“Like I said, this confidence that you see is all an act. I’m nervous right now, too. Here,” she took his hand and placed it on her chest. He felt her heart beating rapidly. “See? You’re not the only one feeling this way.” When he still didn’t meet her eyes, she grazed her finger along his jawline, admiring the tattoos there.

“It isn’t that,” he finally spoke, resting a hand on the one that was caressing his jaw. “This all feels…wrong somehow.” Naili sat up, covering herself with the sheets in a bout of insecurity.

“Oh,” she frowned, turning away from him. Realizing what he’d said, Maul quickly took her hands in his.

“No, that’s not what I meant. I apologize for making you think so,” he rested his forehead against hers. “I just…all my life my master taught me pain. He told me that hatred and anger made me strong. Engaging in something as intimate as this with someone I care very much about is foreign. It’s as if Sidious will catch me in this act at any moment, scolding me about my weakness.” Panic arose in him at being so vulnerable, but he pushed down that feeling in order to console her.

Naili gave him a reassuring smile, leaning in to kiss him softly. Maul reached up to hold the back of her head gently, almost sighing at the pleasant feeling she stirred in him. Somehow this led to another round, albeit slower and more loving, not like before. After, they spent some time nestled in each other’s embrace, Naili tracing the tattoos around her lover’s arm. “Tell me about your tattoos,” she blinked up sleepily at him. Maul hummed, thinking for a moment.

“I was a boy when I received them, so I do not remember what all of them mean. But my master was the one who created most of them,” he sighed, “it was a painful experience.”

“I’m sorry, ardo. You don’t have to tell me.” Instead, Maul merely smiled, sitting up a bit to rest on his forearm.

“Most of them are Sith tattoos, representing my “alliance” to their ways. But Sidious could not get rid of all of my previous ones. These ones on my arms represent my Nightbrother lineage. This one,” he pointed to the one on his chest circling his hearts. “This represents my family heritage, two markings for my brothers and one for my mother.”

“What about these ones?” She reached up to caress his cheek.

“I do not know,” he frowned. “I have no memory of acquiring these ones. I only remember getting the Sith tattoos.”

“How do you know about your heritage ones?”

“Savage,” his lips twitched in a barely contained smile. “He told me what they meant and how he has nearly the same ones.”

“That’s sweet,” she hummed, still lightly tracing her fingers over the ones decorating his arms. Maul’s hearts stuttered at the sight of her. He couldn’t help but lean in to give her a soft kiss, feeling her smile against him.

“What about your language?” He asked curiously.

“What do you mean?”

“You often speak phrases and words that I do not understand. I would like to know,” he ran his thumb over her knuckles.

“Twi’leks have two languages. One of them we speak, but the other one uses our Lekku. It is a kind of sign language. I can’t speak it fluently, but I know a few words.”

“Fascinating,” he breathed, feeling himself warm under her gaze.

“Then there are the common curses I use when I’m angry. Schutta can mean two things. If you direct it towards a woman, it means ‘slut,’ but to anyone else it means ‘asshole.’ I’ve used it for both genders, though, so it really depends on what you wanna say.” Naili glanced up to find Maul looking at her with a gentleness she had never seen from him before. “What?”

“Your eyes light up when you speak about your culture,” he pointed out. “It makes you more of a vision.” Naili blushed and gave him a chaste kiss. After a few moments, a thought came to the forefront of Maul’s mind. “What does ardo mean?” He must’ve said something wrong because his lover suddenly broke out into a heavy blush. She sat up, not caring if the sheet fell from her bare body. “Did I say it incorrectly?” He also sat up, furrowing his brow. He was sure he pronounced it right.

“No, it’s just…” she trailed off, fiddling with her hands. Maul waited patiently, giving her a chance to back out from whatever she was going to say. “It means ‘love.’” Naili tensed, waiting with bated breath to see what he would say. She could see him freeze up. Maybe it would’ve been better for her to shut her mouth.

“You’ve been calling me ‘love?’” He felt a smile start to peek its way onto his face. He’d never felt true affection for anyone, let alone love. He supposed Savage was a start. He did care about his brother, even if he often didn’t show it. Naili, though…his feelings went deeper than just an attraction. He didn’t know whether to call it love or infatuation, but hearing her say the word set something off in him.

“I’m sorry, I don’t wanna freak you out,” Naili started rambling. “I guess I started using the word so flippantly that I thought it was okay if I said it without you understanding me. I don’t even know if I feel a true sense of love yet, but I think…I think I’m starting to.” Maul stopped her by pulling her closer and resting his head on her stomach. He made sure to be careful of his horns.

“I am not ‘freaking out,’ as you say,” he chuckled. “I didn’t think it was possible for someone like me, but I believe I feel some sort of devotion for you.” Naili blinked at him quizzically.

“In other words…” She implied nervously. Maul sighed and sat up, not being able to sit still.

“I think I do…love you,” he tested the words on his tongue, realizing that they felt right. “Yes, I love you Naili.”

“Afa eskaa’liash tuno, do freykaa zabrak,” (I love you, my beloved zabrak).

“What does that mean?” He asked, an anxious twinge to his voice.

“It means I love you, dumbass,” she laughed. Maul cracked a smile, meeting her mouth halfway. He left open-mouthed kisses along her neck, her stomach, her thighs, anywhere that caused her to make those lovely noises he liked so much. He didn’t know it was possible to feel this much, but another session presented itself as they both became frisky once again. His hearts were full, something he had never thought feasible for a Sith like him. In the end, as they both came undone together, he realized that he wanted to spend eternity with this woman who had set his soul on fire.

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Naili looked at the coded message with tears in her eyes. So it was true, Kashvi really did run away. She had been too quick to anger and now she was paying for it. She first showed the message to Savage, who closed his eyes in slight mourning. She knew that was all the emotion he would show, but it was still unnerving how calm he could be about this. “All she said was that she was safe and getting taken care of, but she won’t be coming back,” Naili sobbed to Savage in despair. “How could she leave me like this? I know I got angry with her and maybe I was a little too harsh, but I just got her back. How could she be so selfish?” Bitterness ate away at her heart, something she had never felt for her sister before. It was more than she could handle.

“I am sorry, Naili,” Savage rested a hand on her shoulder, not knowing how else to offer comfort. He knew that she planned this, but was still conflicted on whether to tell his friend or not.

“I just don’t understand how she could do this to me, or you,” she sighed and looked up at her friend. “She loves you, Savage. I’m sorry that she’s treating you this way.”

“I know,” the zabrak blinked, avoiding the Twi’lek’s gaze. Like Maul, he wasn’t sure if he remembered how to love. He loved his brother, and he supposed that was a start, but what about Naili and Kashvi?

“I will find her, I promise, but right now we have bigger things to worry about. Maul says Kenobi is on his way, and I don’t want to miss out on his death,” she smirked. Savage smiled, holding a hand out. Naili rested hers on the back of his hand, just like they used to do back on Zanbar when one of them needed grounding.

“You love him, don’t you?” Savage asked sincerely. Naili looked down, thinking for a few moments.

“Yes, I do.”

“That is good for him, and for you,” he smiled, a mischievous glint appearing in his eyes. “But I would like it if you kept it down next time.” Naili stared after him as he walked off, confused. A dark blush bloomed down her Lekku and all along her face as she understood what he was implying.

“Wait, Savage!” She cried out as she chased him down. The rest of the day was lighthearted, but Naili’s mind was still trained on her sister. She could be anywhere, doing anything, and she still hadn’t heard from Kashvi. It was okay if she was still mad, but things changed when the girl decided to run off. How could she do that? She knew how long Naili had been searching for her, so how could she be so selfish as to leave like that? Besides that, however, Naili had been preparing for Kenobi’s arrival.

It had been a day since Satine’s distress call, and she was positive he was on his way. She wanted to meet him. She wanted to look him in the eye and make sure he knew who she was. Maul wanted her to be safe, of course, but she insisted on being there. Naili wanted to watch as her lover destroyed everything that was dear to the Jedi. Then they would finally be at peace, and maybe then they could start a life together. She would go back to bounty hunting but would switch from a solo worker to working for Maul’s syndicate. Maybe she would convince Savage to join her. It would be good for him to be somewhat independent.

“I can sense your excitement, my dear,” Maul softly spoke to her from his place on the throne. “What are you thinking about?”

“Just the future,” she sighed. “I want to take a full-time job under your syndicate, but I’m also worried about my sister. I need to find her and bring her home, but I’m not sure she’ll want to come back.” When he was silent, Naili turned her head to raise a brow. He was giving her a fond smile. “What?”

“You called this ‘home,’” he pointed out.

“I guess I did,” she smiled. “But it’s true, this is my home now, and I’m glad to share it with you.” Maul pulled her in with the force to kiss her, but was interrupted.

“Lord Maul, a ship has arrived on the landing pad,” a Mandalorian named Saxon kneeled in front of his leader.

“Kenobi,” Maul seethed. “Savage, to me. Saxon, have your men remain on high alert and wait for my signal. We will let the Jedi set his friend free,” he clasped his hands together to reign in his glee. Naili grinned and put on her helmet that was now decorated in black and red paint. “When did you do that?” Maul looked at her, that same warm feeling spreading throughout his chest.

“Yesterday,” she answered, “I wanted to show my support like the others. Kast helped me paint it, though since I’m not very good at art,” she shrugged.

“Are those my tattoos?” Savage asked as he pointed to the black lines on the forehead of the helmet.

“I didn’t want to leave you out. You’re just as important to me,” Naili smiled. She could just make out a tiny flush adorning the large zabrak’s face, which only made her happier. “Now let’s go make sure Kenobi gets a warm welcome,” she cracked her knuckles. Luckily, they didn’t have to wait for long. The Jedi did manage to rescue Satine, but he did so pretty quickly. Apparently, he was sporting the red armor. Clever, but not clever enough. Naili ran to the docks with the other Mandalorians, watching as some of them used their rocket launchers to bring the escaping ship down.

Her helmet protected her eyes from the smoke and blinding light of the explosion. She could just barely make out Kenobi using the force to get some debris off of the fallen duchess. For just a moment, she felt a pang of guilt at the sight of him being so gentle with her. This wasn’t just a friend, he loved her. She could tell by that pained look in his eyes, as she had worn that same look with Maul multiple times. However, the reality of what was happening set in, and that guilt disappeared just as quickly as it began. She spotted Maul walking towards the Jedi, rolling her eyes as Kenobi lit up his blue blade. There was no use in fighting, the man could barely stand.

Naili slipped beside Savage as he threw the unconscious woman across his shoulder. “Welcome to my world,” she heard Maul say as two Mandos dragged him off. She bit her lip to hide a snicker. This was not the time to laugh.

“Nice deliverance,” she nudged him with her elbow playfully. Maul smiled down at her, holding his arm out. She was confused by the action at first but slipped her arm in his when she understood. “You don’t want to be secretive?”

“Kast already knows,” he shrugged, “and I am quite sure she has told others. I don’t mind.” Naili grinned behind her helmet and moved closer to him. “Restrain the Duchess beside my throne,” he ordered Savage. “Restrain him as well,” he told the two Mandos holding Kenobi, “but no cuffs until I give the word.”

“What are you planning?” Naili whispered, now more curious than ever.

“You will see, my dear,” he said vaguely. The Twi’lek rolled her eyes lovingly. Maul could be too dramatic sometimes. That’s when she caught the Jedi eyeing her curiously. He kept glancing between her and Maul, no doubt trying to deduce their relationship. Naili had to admit, she expected the warrior to be…taller. This was just a regular human, a beard covering his features. He was about the same height as Maul, which meant she could easily look into his eyes. Kenobi’s gaze was piercing, but not as full of hate as she expected. Instead, he looked defeated, a spark of determination etched into his pale face. Right now, he certainly didn’t look like a great Jedi.

Naili glared at him through her helmet before focusing her eyes forward. If she was right, he would sense her anger towards him. Good, she wanted to make him wonder why this strange Twi’lek was holding a grudge. “I sense your anger, my dear,” Maul broke her out of her thoughts. She realized she was practically squeezing the life out of his arm. Naili let go, a blush adorning her Lekku.

“Sorry,” she avoided his gaze. Maul prepared to say something, but they soon arrived at the throne room. Savage set Satine down next to the throne, having her kneel. She was now conscious but looked very out of it. As Maul sat down, Naili took her place at his left side, making sure she was visible but also hiding somewhat behind Savage. Her lover’s plan was now underway, and all she could do was watch. She wished she could do more, but this was Maul’s revenge, not hers. She would let him do as he pleased.

The room fell into a tense silence, both Jedi and Sith staring each other down as if waiting for the other to speak first. Kenobi’s gaze kept flicking to her own, probably still wondering who she was. Naili smirked at the thought of revealing her identity to him, wondering how he would react to her love for the fallen Sith. She decided to take her helmet off, tucking it under her arm. The Jedi’s expression showed one of surprise for just a moment before putting on that mask once again.

“Your noble flaw is a weakness shared by you and your duchess,” Maul held the woman in a force choke with a wicked smirk. Kenobi twitched, reaching out for her before the two Mandos held him back. Naili had to admit, he was determined. “You should have chosen the dark side, Master Jedi,” Maul continued. Naili couldn’t take her eyes off the struggling duchess, feeling bad for her for a passing moment. She knew how it felt to be restrained by the force, and she hoped she never felt it again. “Your emotions betray you. Your fear, and yes, your anger,” Maul was practically feeding off of Kenobi’s reactions.

Naili wished she could sense emotions like Maul could; maybe then she could find her sister. “Let your anger deepen your hatred,” the Sith seethed.

“Don’t listen to him, Obi-“ Satine choked out. Naili gulped, tensing as she watched this terrifying display. She had forgotten how horrifying Maul could be sometimes, especially when he was in the throes of his anger. Of course, she knew he was more than that. She had seen first-hand how gentle he could be when he wasn’t focused on his revenge. Maybe Kashvi was right, a voice in the back of her head whispered. She threw that thought away quickly. No, she was loyal to Maul and his mission.

“You can kill me,” Kenobi was saying, “but you will never destroy me. It takes strength to resist the dark side. Only the weak embrace it!” Naili clenched her fist at that, taking a step forward to argue, but Maul put a hand up to stop her.

“It is more powerful than you know,” the zabrak stated, a hint of fear in his tone. The Twi’lek knew what that fear was, he had even shared his worries to her.

“And those who oppose it are more powerful than you’ll ever be,” Kenobi stepped forward again, causing the Mandos to train their blasters at him. The more he talked, the angrier Naili became. The Jedi knew nothing of what Maul had been through. Only her and Savage knew that secret. Kenobi had no right to accuse the Sith of anything. “I know where you’re from, I’ve been to your village. I know the decision to join the dark side wasn’t yours. The nightsisters made it for you,” the Jedi kept talking. Wait, how did he know that?

Naili almost dropped her helmet in shock, looking to Maul to see if he was okay. He was now faced away from his enemy, his head down. She knew he couldn’t afford to look vulnerable in front of his men, but all she wanted to do was take him and hide him away. She was surprised that the Jedi would even show compassion towards Maul, especially after all that he had done. “Silence!” Maul yelled, shutting Kenobi up. “You think you know me? It was I who languished for years thinking of nothing but you. Nothing but this moment,” he savagely pointed at the duchess. Suddenly, Naili knew what Maul was about to do.

She glanced at Savage, who was watching his brother with both pride and a hint of sadness. Was her lover really going to do this? Was he willing to rip this man away from the woman he loves? “I never planned on killing you, but I will make you share my pain, Kenobi,” he lifted the woman higher into the air. Kenobi seemed to realize what was happening as he tried to run to her. The two troopers beside him struck him down, hitting him with their blasters to stun him. Maul activated the Darksaber, plunging it into the stomach of Satine as she flew into the blade.

Naili flinched, shutting her eyes as she heard the pained gurgles of the woman. As she fell to the ground, Kenobi rushed to say goodbye to his beloved. The Twi’lek took a tentative step forward to get a closer look. Maul had returned to his seat, watching in glee as the two lovers said their heartfelt goodbyes. Naili felt her eyes get hot as the Jedi cradled the dead woman in his arms. All she could imagine was Maul in place of Satine as she herself said a tearful goodbye to her own lover. For a moment, Kenobi looked up to search Naili’s eyes as if to say, “is this what you wanted?”

“Do we kill him now, brother?” Savage asked quietly, as if he too didn’t want to break this sorrowful spell. His voice broke Naili out of her whirling thoughts.

“No, imprison him below. Let him drown in his misery. Take him to his cell to rot,” Maul ordered. As the guards began taking him away, Naili set a hand on his arm.

“I’m going with them,” she said. She knew she didn’t have the force, but she tried to let him know with her emotions that she wanted to talk about this later. Maul frowned at her before nodding. Naili put on her helmet and escorted the broken Jedi to his prison. All was silent for a while as they traveled to the lower levels. She wanted to say something to him.

“Who are you?” Kenobi asked monotonously. Even his voice sounded broken.

“I am Maul’s…partner,” she said after thinking about it. That got a reaction out of him. He raised a brow at her, a spark of anger and confusion in his blue eyes. “Listen,” she sighed, “I may not like you, but what Maul did…” she shook her head. “You don’t know what he’s been through to do something like that.”

“That is not an excuse,” he furrowed his brow.

“All I’m trying to say is…I’m sorry. She seemed like a headstrong woman,” Naili avoided his questioning gaze.

“What if our positions were reversed?” The Jedi asked seriously. “Wouldn’t you think I was in the wrong?” Naili shifted uncomfortably, fiddling with one of her holsters. They both fell silent at that, not wanting to talk to each other at the moment. Although he was her enemy, Kenobi had a point. Naili loved Maul dearly and she desperately wanted him to get his happy ending but seeing him mercilessly kill somebody else’s beloved was almost too much. It only reminded her that there was another side to her lover that she hadn’t seen a lot of.

“Ah!” one of the men grunted as something struck his armor. Naili immediately activated her blade, searching for the hidden enemy. “It’s the rebels!”

“Ugh, why now?” Naili groaned as Bo Katan leapt down from above. “Bo, out of my way, I won’t let you-oof!” A body lunged at her, causing her to fall hard onto the ground. It was another blue-clad Mandalorian, but something wasn’t right. Her helmet was modified, as if it didn’t fit correctly and a small decoration of her tribe’s name was painted on the side in Twi’leki. Naili may not have recognized her build, but she knew those Lekku anywhere. “Kashvi?”

The Mando took her helmet off, revealing the pained expression of none other than her sister. “Hey Naili,” she ground out before pointing her blaster at her.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Naili stood up, readying her blade. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere! Do you know how worried I was, how worried Savage was? I almost told Maul to send a search party after you!”

“Sorry, numa, but I had to find my own path,” Kashvi shut her eyes for a second as if she was in pain.

“Wait, you can’t be serious. You joined the rebels? Why the kriff would you do that? How could you betray me? I’m your sister!”

“Naili, I love you, but I saw how your love for Maul blinded you to the truth. He’s a brute who cares for nothing except his mission. He’s a beast, why can’t you see that?”

“What about Savage? He’ll be devastated!”

“He understood that I am my own person and shouldn’t be hidden away like some prisoner,” Kashvi growled.

“You mean, he knew where you were?” Naili grew angry at the zabrak, making a note to give him a piece of her mind when she was done here.

“No, I didn’t tell him of my plans, I only told him that I wanted to be free. Even he knows his brother is not a good man, but he stays because he loves his brother.”

“Then why couldn’t you do that with me? I don’t care if you disagree with me on things, but we’re sisters, we’re supposed to stick together. You can’t just run away!”

“I don’t expect you to understand, Naili, but I know that I can’t let you do this. Kenobi must leave to warn the other Jedi.”

“No, don’t you know what’ll happen when the Jedi get word of this? Something else will come, something evil. I cannot break my promise to Maul. I promised nothing would hurt him here!”

“What a stupid thing to promise,” Kashvi scoffed as she put her helmet back on.

“Please, don’t do this, I’m your sister!” Naili cried, tears pouring from her eyes.

“Not anymore,” the girl’s voice trembled. She pulled a knife from one of her hidden holsters, getting into a defensive stance. Naili couldn’t believe what she was seeing, but she would not let her sister ruin Maul’s plans. Kashvi lunged at her sister with a war cry, swiping her blade clumsily towards Naili’s face. This was pathetic, how could Bo let the girl be on her own with little training? If she wanted to, she could kill Kashvi easily. She dodged the Twi’lek’s poor attempts at injuring her, not sure if she should defend herself or not. She did not want to fight her own sister.

Naili flipped into a crouch, knocking the girl off of her feet, causing the knife to tumble from her hand. Kashvi scrambled for her lost weapon, only for her sister to kick it away. Quickly, she rolled away from Naili’s fists and drew her blaster once again. She was better at long-range anyway. Still, her aim wasn’t the best, what with the meager training she got from Bo Katan. Her sister easily dodged her blasts, sprinting to put Kashvi in a headlock, twisting her arm behind her. “Don’t do this, Kashvi, I could seriously hurt you and you clearly don’t know what you’re doing!”

“Hurt me then!” The girl stomped on Naili’s foot, giving her a small amount of wiggle room to free herself. She began throwing punch after punch, all of them sloppy and uncaring. There was no doubt about it. If Naili had been a real enemy, her sister would be dead right now.

“Kashvi, you’re being ridiculous! Are you really this mad at me? You don’t even know what you want!”

“And that’s the problem, sister. You think you know better than me just because you have more experience. I’m allowed to make my own decisions. Well, this is the path I chose. Are you happy now?” Kashvi leapt at her sister, throwing her arms around her torso to knock her down. The two fell in a heap of flailing limbs, both landing blows on the other. Enraged, Naili kicked Kashvi off of her and pinned her down, aiming her vibrosword straight at her neck.

“Don’t make me do it, lia’ry, because I will if you become a threat. I would kill if it means protecting the one I love,” Naili threw her helmet down. Kashvi stared at her in shock, panting from the exertion. The two sisters glared at each other, both of them too afraid to move.

“Naili, we need you!” Kast called from her commlink. Without taking her eyes off of the other Twi’lek, Naili answered.

“On my way.” Before she had time to react, Kashvi jumped off the walkway, activating her jetpack and flying away. Naili watched her go, heartbroken. There was no time to mourn, however. It sounded like Kast needed help. Kenobi had gotten away, which meant Maul was furious. When she managed to return to the landing pad, the whole place was in complete chaos. Mauldalorians and Nite Owls were gruesomely battling each other, both determined to win. Smoke filled the air and made it hard to see; Naili’s eyes and nose were already suffering due to the smell. Bodies littered the ground, red and blue armor scattered about haphazardly.

She spotted Kast a few feet away taking cover behind some fallen crates. “Kast, what’s going on?”

“Lord Maul sent all of us down here to kill Kenobi, but you just missed him getting away. Now we’re trying to defend Mandalore from these traitors,” she hissed. “Saxon is somewhere on the battlefield, but we got separated.”

“Great, I guess his plan is bantha fodder now. Maul will be furious. Speaking of, where is he?”

“I think he’s still in the throne room seething,” Kast shouted as she dodged another bolt.

“Why is he hiding away when he should be down here fighting?” Naili scoffed.

“I don’t question my Lord’s leadership, I only follow his orders,” she glared. The Twi’lek rolled her eyes but understood. An explosion interrupted their conversation, rocking them off their feet. She was beginning to think a real war was coming to Mandalore. If Kenobi went back to the Republic, then that possibility would come true. Not only that, but if this Dark Lord that Maul often talked about was truly still alive, he might be coming to pay his old apprentice a visit. This was all becoming too much. Maul’s plans had failed, that much was true, but now what was he going to do? He was powerful, but even Naili knew he couldn’t defeat his old master.

“Hey, Naili, snap out of it!” Kast shook her shoulders. “I know this is a lot, and I know you’re worried about Lord Maul, but you have to get your head in the game or we’re all gonna die. I believe your partner will eventually join us, but we must hold out before he does, alright? Can you do that?” Naili hesitated before nodding, clenching her jaw. Kast was right, spiraling wasn’t going to do anyone any good. She had to focus if she wanted to help Maul.

“My sister,” she began,” she’s a Nite Owl now.”

“What?” Kast paused in her attack, looking at her friend with pity. “I’m…I’m sorry,” she frowned before jumping out of her hiding place. Naili began following her, only to stop in her tracks. Something didn’t feel right. She looked up towards the palace, noticing it was unusually quiet over there. Even without the force, her instincts told her something was very wrong. “Naili, what are you waiting for?”

“I think something’s wrong with Maul. I’m going to go help him,” she then ran off without waiting for a reply. That sinking feeling in her gut only increased as she approached the castle. She stopped in her tracks, seeing the guards posted at the doors were dead. She carefully walked through the doors, keeping her blaster raised in case of danger. Maul and Savage were no longer in the room, and the glass windows behind the throne had shattered. It seemed as if they had gotten attacked here, but by whom? “Stars, where are you Maul?” Naili frowned, going up to the throne in worry. She grazed its arm, wishing everything hadn’t gone so wrong.

That’s when she heard an animalistic wail, as if a feral creature had been tortured by the iron jaws of death. Naili ran out to the balcony, tears blurring her vision as she saw a menacing, cloaked figure pouring lightning into Maul. Her beloved writhed on the ground, shrieking and crying in pain. “Maul!” She cried out, clapping a hand to her mouth when she realized what she had done. The robed figure held the zabrak down with the force as he slowly turned towards this new opponent.

“Naili, go!” Maul yelled, grunting as he struggled to get out of the force hold he was in.

“Ah, so you have found yourself a partner,” the shrewd voice of the man cackled evilly. “Why don’t you introduce us?” Naili screamed as she felt herself pulled from the balcony. She clawed at the railing, trying to stop him from forcefully retrieving her.

“No, leave her alone! She is not a part of this!” Maul struggled further, knowing it was futile to resist.

“Oh, but I do believe she is. I sense your pathetic devotion to her, my old apprentice,” the man laughed. Naili was frozen stiff, unable to do anything as she met eyes with her zabrak.

“What did you do to him?” She demanded boldly. That must have been the wrong thing to say, because before she knew it, the cloaked man threw her into the wall with the force. The last thing she heard before falling unconscious was Maul’s pained scream.

Chapter Text

Naili’s surroundings swam into focus, the blurs and spins of the world making her nauseas. The ringing in her ear-cones persisted for just a few moments before all the noise suddenly rushed back in. Her head was throbbing, and her limbs felt glued to the ground as she tried to move them. Luckily, that force that had been binding her had disappeared, which meant she could freely move about. Slowly, she sat up, resting a hand on her head with a pained groan. She felt her Lekku, making sure there were no blemishes or dents. She then realized that it was quiet…too quiet.

“Maul?” Naili croaked, looking around. She was outside in the courtyard behind the castle. Tilting her head, she saw that the balcony was quite a distance above her. “The Dark Lord!” She exclaimed, whipping her head about as if he were beside her. “Maul, are you there?” She shakily stood up, scanning the place. She could make out a lifeless lump a few feet away. At the sight of it, her heart almost jumped out of her chest. “Maul!” She ran to him, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. However, it was not her lover. “S-Savage?” Naili covered her mouth in shock at the sight of her fallen brother.

Savage was smaller, skinnier, as if all of his muscle had been stripped away. His horns were now the size of Maul’s, and the top of his clothes were gone, leaving him shirtless. Two, lightsaber-sized holes were carved into his stomach, the flesh still sizzling from the immense heat the weapon emitted. “Savage, please don’t do this,” Naili knelt beside him, grazing the backs of her knuckles against his cheek. He was still warm. “No, this isn’t possible, you can’t be dead,” Naili choked on a sob, lifting her friend’s head into her lap. “Please, wake up,” she shook him gently. “Your brother needs you; I need you. Don’t give up, please,” she sobbed, desperately clinging to him as if she could bring him back somehow. “You’re my brother, I love you,” she cradled his body in her arms, placing a kiss on his forehead.

Naili refused to believe Savage was dead. There was no way; he was impossible to kill. He was too strong to even trip and fall. It wasn’t possible, this must all be some sick nightmare the Dark Lord had forced upon her. However, as she pulled away to look him in his unseeing eyes, she knew that her brother was dead. “Oh Savage,” she cried, gently closing his eyelids. “I hope you know that your brother loved you, even though he didn’t know how to show it. I don’t know how the force works, but if your spirit is out there somewhere, please remind Maul that he’s not alone.” Naili pulled her deceased friend onto her lap again and let herself mourn.

Savage didn’t deserve a death like this, no matter what his past had been. He may have done wrong, but his heart always was loyal to Maul and to the people he called family. All he wanted was for his brother to be happy. Naili clung on to him tighter, her tears falling onto his skin. The only sounds that could be heard were her anguished cries. After a long time of sitting in her own misery, Naili composed herself just enough to activate her commlink. “Kast, I need help. Can you come to the courtyard behind the castle?”

“I’ll be there right away. Things have calmed down here for the most part. Are you alright? You don’t sound yourself,” Kast reported.

“Just get here quickly please, I would rather not explain it right now,” she swallowed down the lump in her throat.

“Okay, I’ll be there shortly.” Once the comm disconnected, her sobs began again.

“What did you do?” A panicked voice sounded from behind her. Naili pulled out her blaster, only to see Kashvi staring at the scene with tears running down her cheeks. “What did you do to him?!”

“What did I do?” Naili stood up, anger replacing all the sadness she had felt earlier. “This is what happens when you get involved in war, Kashvi. I warned you that something evil would travel here if this civil war reached Coruscant. Well, I was right. The Dark Lord came, and he killed Savage. I’m pretty sure he’s taken Maul as well.”

“But I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” Kashvi tried to reason.

“I don’t care what your intentions were! The reality of it is, Savage is dead, and you had something to do with it!”

“No, I didn’t! I loved him, I would never-“

“I loved him, too, Vi. Maul loved him. He’s already been through so much, do you really think his brother dying needs to be added to the list?” Kashvi fell silent, her eyes never leaving her best friend’s lifeless body. “I think you should go,” Naili’s voice broke. “You’ve done enough already.”

“Can I at least say goodbye?” The girl choked through her tears. Naili hesitated for just a moment before stepping aside. Kashvi ran over to the scene, falling to her knees and heaving Savage’s body into her lap. “I’m so sorry, Savage, I didn’t want this. All I wished for you was to see the stars, but I guess now you’re a part of them.” Naili covered her mouth with her hand, trying and failing to keep the tears at bay. “Ma’allesh, do nerra,” (goodbye, my brother) the girl hugged him tight. “I will never forget you.”

Naili gripped her sister’s arm as she prepared to fly away, punching in a code on her commlink. “I’m still angry and hurt that you did what you did, but you’re still my sister. If you ever get in any sort of trouble, you use this secret code to contact me, okay? Maybe one day we can be whole again.” Kashvi nodded, taking a deep breath as she put her helmet back on. “Now get out of here. Kast will be arriving soon and she’s not as forgiving as I am.”

“Thank you, Naili,” Kashvi squeezed her hand before flying off. It was just in time, too, because Kast landed next to the mourning Twi’lek not long after.

“I’m here, what’s the-“ Kast froze as she saw her friend kneeling next to Savage. “Kriff, what happened?”

“The Dark Lord killed him,” Naili clenched her fists, her body trembling with anger. “And Maul was taken by him. I don’t know where they are or how to find him.” She started softly crying again, but she didn’t care if Kast was watching. Her brother was dead, she was allowed these feelings for once. The Mando sat next to her, taking in the sight before them. She had never been particularly close to Maul’s brother, but she had respected him. He was never as rude as the red zabrak, and he had treated the men fairly. He had also calmed Maul when their leader was being too harsh or too quick to act. For that, Kast highly respected Savage.

“He was a good man,” Kast tried to reassure, “even the troops could see that.”

“You should’ve seen him behind closed doors,” Naili sniffed. “He cared about us so deeply that we began to become a little family. I think that’s all he wanted in the end.” The Twi’lek tried not to cry so hard, but she couldn’t help it. “Everything went wrong,” she held her friend’s cold hand, “so wrong.” Kast let her mourn for a while, staying silent as her friend broke down into tears. It was a tough sight to witness, which was glad she was doing it where no other Mando could see. If it had been anyone else, well, she didn’t want to think what they would do.

When the woman seemed to calm down, Kast set a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, but we must go from here. If what you say is true, then we need to start the search for Lord Maul. Without him, we can’t survive here.” However, Naili didn’t move. “Naili, there’s nothing else you can do.”

“Don’t say that!” The Twi’lek cried. “There’s always more we can do,” her voice petered out. “We can’t just leave him.” Kast sighed, about to force her to stand up when a thought came to her mind.

“What if I send a stretcher here to retrieve him? We can try to set up some sort of service for him. Though, I can’t promise anything.”

“You would do that?” Naili finally looked up. At the hope in her eyes, Kast smiled and spoke into her commlink, ordering some of the troops to bring a medical stretcher over to their location. When they arrived, the sight of the deceased zabrak took them by surprise. The Mandos all thought Savage was a monster that could not be brought down no matter what. To see his lifeless body was a shock to be sure.

Naili watched as they carefully loaded her friend onto the stretcher, her arms crossed over her stomach. Her helmet was secured, not wanting the others besides Kast to see her tear-stained face. Although her expressions were hidden, she still held his hand the entire way to the shuttle. It was a quiet ride, both due to their defeat and because of the current situation. “Naili, we don’t have the resources right now to have a full service,” Kast whispered to the woman softly.

“I know,” her voice wavered. “I think it would be best to retreat to someplace safe. That way we can regroup and start coming up with a plan to retrieve Maul.”

“You know we can’t drag Savage along the whole time,” Kast laid a hand on her friend’s shoulder.

“I have an idea about that,” the Twi’lek hesitated. “Is there any way we can lay him on Dathomir? I think Maul would appreciate that, and it is Savage’s home planet.”

“I don’t know, Naili,” the Mandalorian tilted her head anxiously.

“My Lady, we may have a solution,” one of the men spoke up.

“Adonis, it is not polite to eavesdrop, especially on your commanding officer,” the woman scolded.

“It’s alright Kast,” Naili held up a hand, “what’s your idea?”

“If we are to retreat, I suggest Zanbar. We still have many resources there, and our camp may still be intact. Most of us can go there, while you and one other can escort Savage to Dathomir.” Kast stroked her chin in thought, looking to Naili for answers.

“That may be possible, good work Adonis. I will gather the troops and we shall travel to Zanbar. Naili, I can accompany you to Dathomir. Saxon will be in charge in our absence.”

“Thank you, Kast,” Naili’s voice sounded more lighthearted. “And thank you as well, Adonis,” she bowed her head in respect.

“Saxon,” Kast spoke in her commlink, “prepare the troops to leave. We’re heading to Zanbar.”

********************************************************************************************************************************

The flight to Dathomir was…quiet, to say the least. While Kast was in the cockpit, Naili decided to lock herself up in the quarters where she could finally mourn in peace. The Mandalorian thought it better to leave her be, at least for a while. She knew better than to leave a grieving friend alone, after all. Kast looked behind her, staring in the direction of Savage’s body. Now that she had time, she began reflecting on how well she knew the hulking zabrak. He was often quiet, only speaking to his brother or when he had to give an order. His presence alone warded off any others who tried to approach him.

Kast, however, had never been afraid of him. Sure, he was a giant, and his stare could leave one with a sense of foreboding, but there was one thing people overlooked about him. Savage cared. His actions were subtle, but if one looked hard enough, they could see that he was a gentle giant if not provoked. He made sure the troops were fed and had enough to drink, something that Maul could care less about. When one of them was injured, he immediately ordered for them to be taken to the infirmary. There was even a time where Kast had caught him serving tea to a young man with a severe cold.

This led to her having an immense amount of respect for the man. Her people had already suffered so much, so to see them being cared for by an outsider was refreshing. Maybe she should’ve talked to him more. She and Savage never conversed all that much, but there was a particular time where they both talked for a while. It had been shortly after Maul came to power, and a lot of the Mandos were beaten up from trying to take the city. While their new leader was in the throne room, Savage was watching over the troops. That’s when Kast first came up to him, nervously asking if he could help her get the wounded to the infirmary.

The zabrak had been so eager to help that all of her wariness about the creature vanished in a split second. That’s how she got to know more about his personality, his love for his brother, and even a bit about where he grew up. Now, however, she barely had anyone to talk to. Truthfully, she was afraid of what was going to happen now that Savage was gone. Maul was a great leader in her eyes, and she respected him, but he never cared as much as his brother had. Kast shook her head, noticing her eyes becoming hot with tears. “I must not be getting enough sleep,” she waved it off. She looked behind her again, where Savage was peacefully resting for eternity. Sighing, she leaned her head back against the seat, silently mourning a potential friend.

********************************************************************************************************************************

Naili almost fell off the bed as she felt the ship jolt. “I must’ve dozed off,” she muttered, clearing her throat at realizing how dry it was. Rubbing her eyes, she cringed as she felt the crust from her dried tears. Washing her face in the refresher, she finally felt composed enough to head to the cockpit.

“Good, you’re awake,” Kast gave her a tiny smile, “we just landed.” Naili looked out of the window, scanning the red-tinted air for any signs of life. “How do you propose we go about this?”

“I’m…not sure,” the Twi’lek scrubbed a hand down her face. “I don’t know much about zabrak culture, but I do know that both Nightbrothers and Nightsisters reside here.”

“I’ve heard of the sisters before,” Kast put a hand on her hip. “I don’t think they’re very friendly towards outsiders. Maybe it’s best we go to the brothers first.”

“I think we should split up. Someone should stay with Savage while the other goes searching. We can keep our comms open in case of an emergency,” Naili suggested. They both fell silent, waiting for the other to volunteer first.

“I think you should go,” Kast sighed. “Your partner is a zabrak, so you know more about this stuff than I do.”

“That doesn’t exactly mean I know everything,” Naili rolled her eyes, “but you’re probably right. Just call if you need anything.” Kast nodded as she walked off, making sure to keep the shuttle quiet. The Twi’lek walked for some time before realizing she had no idea where the Nightbrother village was. “I did not think this through,” she groaned. She looked up at the sky, only seeing more red. “Savage, I dunno if you can hear me, but…did you really live in a place this red?” Not only that, but everywhere she looked a strange red fog obscured her vision. There were a few rustles of bushes and the occasional hissing, but other than that the place seemed deserted.

Naili continued on, scanning her surroundings multiple times in case she spotted something. Her feet were aching, and her temper was getting worse by the second. “Ugh, I can’t see anything in this damn fog!” She waved her hands in front of her, foolishly thinking that may increase her visibility. Suddenly, she tripped, almost falling flat on her face if she hadn’t caught a low-hanging branch on her way down. “Now what?” she complained, looking behind her to see what had made her trip. At first, it looked like a dull blob, but as the fog moved, the shape of a body made itself known. Cautiously, she moved closer, noticing it was clothed in red robes, had a few markings on its face, and was loosely grasping a bow. “Is this a…nightsister?”

A particularly large rustle of the bushes behind her made her jump. Taking out her blaster, she aimed in the direction of the noise. This didn’t sound like an animal. Whatever was tracking her was intentional with its steps. This creature may be a local. “I’m not here to cause any trouble,” she called out. “I just need help. My friend and I have traveled a long way to get here.” As quickly as they came, the noises stopped. Naili turned in circles, trying to cover all areas of escape at once. “Kriff, where are you?” She mumbled. A war cry to her left stunned her, barely having any time to react as an orange zabrak pounced on her.

“You are not welcome here, outsider!” He yelled, holding a spiked club to her throat. Naili dropped her blaster, showing that she wasn’t a threat.

“I’m not here to fight you! Please, my friend and I need help. We-“

“We don’t care what you’re here for, our home has suffered enough!” The man pressed his weapon harder against her throat.

“I know that, believe me, but I am not the enemy. I’m merely a mourning sister. Do you know Savage?” At the mention of that name, the zabrak widened his eyes, his grip on her loosening.

“I haven’t seen Savage in months. Who are you?” He narrowed his eyes at her.

“I’m a friend, I promise. I was close to Savage, and I’m here to bring him home,” she paused as she felt tears blurring her vision. “I came to bury him.”

“What?” The zabrak climbed off of her. “What do you mean?”

“Savage is dead,” Naili sat up. “He was killed while defending his brother. I couldn’t just leave him there, so I thought I would come here.” She wiped her eyes, hating that she was crying in front of a complete stranger. The zabrak stood there for a moment, curiously taking in her features.

“You are his sister?”

“Well, not biologically,” she cleared her throat of its tremble.

“Yes, I know that,” he rolled his eyes. “I will take you to Brother Viscus. He will decide your fate.”

“Thank you,” she reached over to message Kast, but the man grabbed her wrist. “I told you I came here with a friend. She’s waiting on our shuttle, and I need to update her on the situation.”

“You will only tell her you are safe and will be back soon, nothing more,” he ordered before letting her go. She nodded, sending a coded message to her quickly and following behind the zabrak.

“What is your name? Mine is Naili,” Naili asked carefully. The man was silent for a while, making her think he wasn’t going to talk to her.

“Kallam,” he grunted. She didn’t ask any more questions after that, deciding that maybe he needed time to process what has happened. “Is Savage really dead?” Kallam spoke nervously.

“Sadly, yes. I didn’t want to believe it, either, but…” she trailed off, feeling herself becoming emotional again.

“How did you come to know him? The last time I spoke to him we were all battling in the arena for a chance to become a Nightsister’s mate. He wasn’t the same after he was…transformed,” he fiddled with his weapon.

“I promise I’ll explain everything once we get to your village, Kallam. I would rather not repeat the long story,” she smiled apologetically.

“I understand,” he sighed. They both chose to stay quiet after that. When they finally arrived at the village, Naili couldn’t help but wonder at everything around her. Their home was small, with only a few zabraks scattered about the place. Most of the huts were worn-down, some of them being worked on by a couple members of the village. As she walked into town, all of the Nightbrothers stood up to acknowledge her, their eyes filled with suspicion. She stopped short as she spotted a yellow zabrak. His face structure and tattoos were different, but he reminded her of Savage anyway. She glanced away, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves.

“Brother Viscus, an outsider claiming to know Savage wants to speak with you!” Kallam bowed to an older-looking zabrak. He was dressed in elegant robes, had a necklace clasped around his neck, and held himself with an air of leadership. His most defining feature, however, was his long, frontal horn that acted as a makeshift crown.

“It is not often a young Twi’lek visits our village,” Viscus eyed her curiously. “Savage was claimed by a nightsister some time ago. You must be mistaken.”

“With all due respect, brother, Savage was a close friend of mine, and just like all of you, I also called him my kin. Now, he is dead, and all I want is for him to rest peacefully,” Naili spoke angrily, more tears streaming down her face. At her outburst, the men began to whisper amongst themselves, some looking at her with compassion.

“You speak to us respectfully,” Viscus observed, “but you are not one of us.” He hummed, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “Come, I will take you to my chambers. You will tell me what has happened.”

“Brother, I would like to know how Savage has died. Will you permit me to listen in?” Kallam bowed his head.

“For now, Kallam, calm the village. When things become clearer, I will tell all of you what has transpired,” Viscus kindly smiled down at him. The young zabrak nodded and went to do as his leader said. Naili followed the leader to a much quieter place, her head down in submission. She remembered Savage telling her how the Nightbrothers valued respect among their ranks. If she could imitate their ways, they may actually want to help her. “Here, this will calm you,” Viscus set a cup of tea down in front of her.

“Thank you, brother,” she bowed her head again.

“I am curious why you act this way, yet you are not one of us,” he said.

“Savage liked to tell me about the zabrak culture, especially about his own clan, which is how I came to know all of you value respect,” she paused. “My partner is also a zabrak. His name is Maul.”

“Maul?” Viscus widened his eyes. “I have not uttered that name in quite some time. It was believed he was taken from Mother Talzin when he was just a boy. How have you come to possess him?”

“I don’t mean to insult your ways, brother, but I do not ‘possess’ Maul. He and I are equals. We are partners and hold each other close to our hearts,” she furrowed her brows. Viscus smiled, beginning to become fond of this woman.

“You are not like the nightsisters,” he chuckled. “Now tell me, what happened to Savage Oppress?” So Naili told him everything, from her crashlanding on Zanbar to her near-death experience caused by Sidious. It was a mirror image of her first encounter with Embo, one that she didn’t realize she missed until now. That, combined with recent events, left her a sobbing mess at the end of her tale. It was incredibly draining to recall everything that had happened to her, and she was grateful to Viscus for being understanding. He stood beside her as she cried, offering her comforting pats on the back. Awkward as he was, he was used to seeing such sorrow.

“So it is true, our brother is gone,” he closed his eyes sadly. “Savage was a great man, a person who only wanted to take care of his brothers. I only wish he hadn’t been corrupted by that witch.”

“And now I can’t find Maul, and that scares me. I promised him he was safe with me. I promised him his master wouldn’t come for him,” she cried, furiously wiping her eyes.

“Well, that is much too big of a promise to make, my dear,” Viscus sat beside her. “After all, we can only do so much for our loved ones.” Naili didn’t answer, too focused on her own sorrow for his words to register. “I can’t do much for Maul, but I can help you. You were right to come to us for this. I will show you what we do when one of us dies.” The leader of the Nightbrothers led her outside, where he solemnly reported to the others that Savage was, indeed, dead. Most of them put their hands on their hearts as a sign of respect, but Kallam was distraught. She guessed that he and Savage had been close somehow.

Naili spoke to Kast on her comm, telling her to bring the ship near her location. The Twi’lek hadn’t realized just how far she had walked until that moment. Luckily, the Mando was quick to heed her request, and the shuttle arrived soon enough. She was met by untrusting zabraks, their weapons poised at the ready. However, when they saw the casket hovering above the ground beside her, they all became solemn. “Thanks for coming, Kast,” Naili gave her a sad smile.

“No problem, I’m only glad you trusted me enough to accompany you,” she set a hand on the Twi’lek’s arm.

“Savage liked you,” Naili said, “he may have never said it, but he did.” Kast didn’t know how to respond. She nodded, glancing at the body of her friend. “Okay, I’m ready now. I’m ready to say goodbye.”

**********************************************************************************************************************

Naili stood in the front row of the small crowd of people around her. The Nightbrothers had shown her how they prepared a body for burial. The smell of the oils they used for the bandages wafted from the small tomb Savage was in. “The oils are made from the flora of our planet. They help preserve the body,” Viscus had explained to her when she asked. The tomb itself wasn’t that big, but there were many carvings covering its walls. When looking closer, she noticed those carvings were Savage’s tattoos.

“To honor the fallen brother, we carve their tattoos on the tomb’s walls. This is to preserve the person’s legacy. Savage walked a dark path, but he was strong,” she remembered Viscus’ words. Savage lay in a coffin made of stone, half of his body covered by a white cloth. Incense was set on the alter above it, the smell bringing comfort to her sorrows. The body had been cleaned and his tattoos brightened. Even his horns were slightly decorated with golden jewelry. It was the perfect sendoff for her brother.

“Anyone who wishes to speak to the fallen may do so now,” Viscus gestured to the body, looking upon the crowd. Naili went first, kneeling next to Savage sadly.

“I wish you were still with us, my brother. I can still hear your voice even now,” she paused to take a breath. “My sister has lost her way, but I know that she misses you, too. I wish you could see the stars with her.” Naili sniffed, choking down a sob. “Maul has been captured by the person he fears most in this world. I promise I’ll do everything in my power to get him back. I made a promise to never abandon him, so that’s what I’m going to do.” Naili leaned over to gently kiss his forehead, breathing in the calming oils he lay in. “You can rest now, Savage, we’ll see each other again.”

Kast didn’t go up as she felt it wasn’t her place, but a few Nightbrothers did. Naili watched them say their peace, tears streaming down her face the whole time. The ceremony wasn’t long, but it was enough. When everyone left, she and Kast were the only ones standing. “He would’ve been proud of you, Naili,” Kast laid a hand on the Twi’lek’s shoulder. She didn’t say anything, only staring at Savage’s tomb solemnly. “Naili?”

“We have to get Maul back,” Naili stated, hardening her gaze. She was done crying. “I’ve sat around long enough. You were right, I need to get my head back in the game. The Mandalorians need him as a leader and I need to know if he’s okay.”

“Well, what do you suggest we do?”

“We need to go to Zanbar first,” Naili took a deep breath. “It’s time to get Maul back.”

Chapter Text

Maul spit, trying to relieve his mouth from the constant buzzing he felt. Being torn into by Sith lightning had been painful enough, but this was worse. This was nonstop. The pain only stopped for minimal water and food, delivered by an uncaring droid who updated him on weather conditions. It was a cruel torture. He wanted it to stop. For the first time in his life, he didn’t want to be motivated by the pain. His arms were sore, almost being pulled from their sockets from dangling off the floor too long. He felt weak and vulnerable in this position. That’s when the doors opened. His former master walked through with a sneer adorning his face. As he reached for the controls, Maul only had one thought on his mind. Naili.

                                                                                               *******************

Naili awoke with a start, sweat dripping down her forehead. Her limbs were twisted in the sheets, her jaw sore from biting down so hard. Her breath came in gasps, her lungs desperately drinking in air. She put a hand to her head, trying to shake off the fear pouring from her. The nightmare had been vivid, so much so that she really thought Sidious had been in the room with her. Shakily, she got up from the bed, dragging her feet over to the refresher to splash her face with water. When she finally managed to calm down, she looked at her reflection.

It had been a month since Maul was taken, since everything she loved was taken from her. The Mandalorians were actively searching for their leader while Naili had locked herself in her lover’s room. After the death of Savage, she’d fallen into a dark hole she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to get out of. Nightmares plagued her every night, none of them about her. Some showed her the death of Kashvi, but Sidious appeared in every one of them. However, this one had been particularly jarring.

She dreamt Maul was dying, slowly being tortured with the Dark Lord’s lightning. His screams were guttural, the only words coming out of his mouth pleads for help. All Naili could do was stand there and watch the man she loved die. The worst part was Sidious had left her alive, forcing her to live with her guilt. Naili choked on a sob, putting a hand to her mouth. It was as if the Sith was taunting her, purposely showing her these visions to drag her further down into depression.

She had promised Maul his master wouldn’t be able to reach him on Mandalore. She had promised he wouldn’t touch him again. But she was wrong, she was so utterly wrong. She had failed him. She wouldn’t blame him if he hated her now. “Oh ardo, I’m so sorry,” she whispered, hoping that wherever he was, he would hear her apology.

“I’m sure he doesn’t blame you,” a voice made her jump. Kast was leaning against the doorframe, looking at her with pity.

“How could he not?” She quickly wiped her eyes, splashing some more water on her face before grabbing a towel.

“Lord Maul is strong, he’s not gonna back down so easily,” Kast followed the Twi’lek back into the room.

“Maybe not, but he’s suffering,” Naili grit her teeth. “He’s all alone being tortured by the one person he fears most in this world and it’s all my fault.” Kast furrowed her brow angrily.

“How would it be your fault? From what I hear, no one can stop the Dark Lord. If Maul couldn’t stop him, what makes you think you could?”

“I don’t know!” Naili yelled, “I would’ve tried! I have my strength and my skills. I could’ve at least done something.” She turned to face the wall, refusing to look at her friend. “But now I have nothing. Every one of my allies have either betrayed me or have died.” Without warning Kast lunged at her, pushing the woman into the wall and slapping her across the cheek.

“Would you get a grip already?!” The Mandalorian hissed. “Right now, the entire Mandalorian army is scouring every star map they can find to look for our leader. We have scouts traveling all across the galaxy to see if we can catch a whisper of where he is. My men are tired, starving, and angry. I’m constantly breaking up fights and keeping them level-headed. And what are you doing? Oh, that’s right, you’re sitting on your ass moping and blaming yourself instead of joining the fight.”

“What are you-“

“Where’s the Naili who was brave enough to stand up to Maul when he was being unreasonable. Where’s the Naili who would willingly put herself in danger to protect her sister and friends? Where’s that Naili?” The Twi’lek stared at Kast, a few tears escaping from her eyes, but she was mostly in shock. This warrior had come all this way to check up on her and now she was yelling in her face?

“Snap out of it!” Kast continued, “my men need your leadership. I need your help. But Maul needs you most.” She finally let Naili go, giving her one last look before storming out. When she was gone, Naili slid to the ground, finally taking a moment to cry. No matter how much she missed Savage, no matter how angry she was at Kashvi, she had been selfish. Kast was right, how could she stand by knowing Maul was still alive? How had she let herself become so consumed by grief?

For what felt like hours she cried until she couldn’t anymore. Naili got up, dusted herself off, and donned her armor for the first time in a month. She armed herself with the weapons she had, strapping both the Darksaber and Maul’s saber on her belt. If she was going to rescue him, she couldn’t leave him unarmed. She went to unlock the door, but something caught her eye. Savage's saber stood on a dresser, collecting dust. Tears pricked her eyes before she grabbed it, hiding it in a compartment on her armor. She had a feeling Maul would want to keep it. Tucking her helmet under her arm, she made her way to the throne room.

Kast was surrounded by some of her troops, pointing to a hologram of some sort of fortress. When Naili walked in, they all stood at attention, nodding to her in respect. She just held her head high, ignoring the guilt piercing her chest. “Kast, what’ve we got?” The woman smiled at her before zooming in on the map.

“We found where Lord Maul was taken,” she said. Naili willed the tears of relief to stay in their place. The only sign of emotion was the clenching of her fist.

“Good, then let’s go rescue him.”

                                                                                    *******************

“Remind me how you found this place,” Naili raised a brow, adjusting her armor.

“One of our scouts tracked a ship to Stygeon Prime,” Kast supplied, “turns out that ship was the Dark Lord’s.”

“Stygeon Prime? I’ve only heard whispers about what’s on there,” she shivered. “Isn’t that where they keep a fortress to torture people?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Kast sighed, looking over the map that was provided to her. Worry clawed at Naili’s throat, a lump forming there. She nodded to her friend, excusing herself to have a moment alone. She locked herself in the small quarters on the ship, taking off her helmet. She traced the markings she had painted, a sad smile making her lips twitch.

Naili knew what loss was, had felt it multiple times. First it was the death of her parents and the trauma of being taken away from her home. Then it was her freedom, everything about herself stripped away for someone else’s use. Now, she had lost a brother and sister, though she thanked the stars every day that Kashvi was still out there. Naili’s lip trembled, that deep sorrow from before rising up her throat. She gently caressed Savage’s markings as one tear made its way down her face.

“Oh Savage, I wish you were here. You would know what to do and how to find Maul. You would know how to keep it together knowing your brother was in danger. I just feel so lost. I feel so alone,” she cried. Kast was trying, she knew that, but it wasn’t the same. Why couldn’t everything go back to the way it was? Maybe this was all a dream and she was back on Zanbar agreeing to be part of Maul’s army. Maybe Savage was waking her up now, telling her that her mind was just playing tricks. If only that were so.

She reached behind her, unbuckling Maul’s saber from her belt. She gripped it so hard the material of her gloves squeaked. Anger replaced her sadness, gripping her heart until she felt it coursing through her veins. Sidious was behind this, he was behind everything. He had taken everything from her. He’d taken from Savage, from Maul, maybe even from Kashvi. “I swear on my parents’ graves, I will make him pay,” she growled. “I will make him pay for the things he’s done to you, ardo ." With that, she put her helmet back on and marched through the door, a new fire burning through her.

                                                                                                *******************

“Alright, we’re nearing the fortress. Everyone remember your assignments?" Naili crossed her arms. There were a few ‘affirmatives’ and nods from multiple troops. “Good, now remember, when we blast a hole through that tower, all hell is gonna break loose. There’ll be droids everywhere, not to mention a Sith Lord. We have some squadrons that will provide distractions, but the heat will still be on us.” The Twi’lek nodded to Kast.

“I’ll take squadrons one and two to search the higher levels while squadrons three and four will go with Naili to search the lower levels. If you find Maul, notify everyone as soon as possible so we can get out of here. If we’re stuck on this planet longer than necessary, then we’re dead. Got it?”

“Yes sir!” The Mandalorians saluted, readying their weapons. Naili slipped on her helmet, reaching up to clutch the handhold. Anxiety churned at her gut, forcing her to clench her jaw. She couldn’t explain it, but she felt something touch her mind. It was tentative, barely there, as if it was too far to fully reach her. What was worse was that she felt a slight pain throughout her body. It was unsettling.

“Naili! You ready?” Kast nudged her shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts. She nodded, feeling the ship rumble beneath her feet. They had released the missile. The crash made her stumble, its vibrations reaching her even from the ship. She took a breath, waiting for the floor to drop. When it did, she activated her jetpack, leading her squadron towards the gaping hole in the fortress. She ignored the cold shiver that ran down her spine as she got a glimpse of how menacing the building was.

Sounds of blaster fire and droids filled her ears, chasing away any trepidation she had. She was here because someone had taken the man she loved. She was here because she had nothing left. She would not let someone hurt Maul again. She activated her vibrosword, slashing through droids left and right. White hot anger coursed through her veins, giving her the strength and energy to fight. “Kill anything that stands in your way!” She called out to her men. “We need to find Maul as soon as possible, so give it your all!”

The men gave grunts and shouts of agreement, her words encouraging them to be like unstoppable machines. Naili felt the heat of blaster fire scorch her armor, but it just bounced right off, protecting her from fatal blows. Once the first wave was destroyed, she turned to the man on her right. “We need to split up. You half go to the left, while the others and I will go to the right,” she ordered. They nodded in acknowledgment, doing as she asked.

Naili took a breath to steady herself, her anxiety and anger only increasing the longer she was away from Maul. “Are you alright, commander?” One of the men questioned.

“I’m fine, just thinking. Let’s hurry before the second wave catches us off guard.” With that, she ran forward, her vibrosword once again humming to life. She felt Maul’s saber bouncing against her hip, a reassuring sign that she was only drawing closer to her goal. She had a feeling something was terribly wrong. She knew the Dark Lord was here, but something else was here. The air was tense, strained as if it was preparing for something big. She couldn’t explain it, but it was there.

“Commander Naili, I think I found the prison cells,” a woman spoke, pointing to a long, dark corridor. A wave of relief washed over her as a sigh escaped her lips.

“Alright, you two come with me. The rest of you, make sure no one comes through this hall.” She wasn’t about to take any chances of someone ambushing them. “Search every cell and let me know if you see Maul.” The two Mandos nodded, running off to open doors. Naili hooked her sword onto her belt, joining the search. Most of the cells were empty, but a few had one or two prisoners inside. Some of them even harbored the dead.

She went down to the last door in the hall, deciding to open up the biggest door she could find. Before she hit the button, she hesitated. What if he wasn’t here? Or worse yet, what if she opened it and he was dead? Naili shook her head, clearing away those thoughts. With a deep breath, she pressed the button.

Maul was strung up by his wrists, his head hanging low and his eyes closed shut. He looked to be unconscious, but she could see his fingers twitch every once in a while. Tears sprang to her eyes, but she forced them back before raising her comm to her mouth. “Kast, I found Maul. Tell everyone to prepare to leave. I’ll send you my location,” her voice wavered, threatening to break.

“Good work, Naili, I’ll send a ship your way.” With that, the woman hung up. Naili ripped her helmet off. She needed to see him for her own eyes.

“Guard the door,” she whispered to the two Mandos behind her. Quickly, she pressed the button that would release the Zabrak. Maul fell to the floor, but seemed to catch himself from hitting his head on the way down. Naili let the tears fall as she ran to him, gently putting a hand on his back. He flinched at her touch, still not speaking a word. “Maul,” Naili’s voice broke. “It’s me, Naili.”

At her voice, the man finally lifted his head, his eyes widening upon seeing her. “Naili, is that really you?” The Twi’lek crouched in front of him, cupping his face in her hands.

“Yes, ardo, it’s me,” she gave him a sad smile, looking him over to check for any injuries. His shirt had been removed, but she couldn’t see any evidence of physical abnormalities. However, there were a few strange, thin lines covering his upper body. It almost looked like lightning. There was also a new hunch to his shoulders, as if he was on the verge of giving up. When she looked into his eyes, they were bloodshot and carried a sadness she’d never seen before.

Maul carefully caressed her cheek as if he was truly seeing her for the first time. She noticed his hands had a slight shake in them and her heart broke. He let out a shaky breath before resting his forehead against hers. She held back a cry, squeezing his hands. He softly pressed his lips to her own, seeming to realize that this was no dream. Naili kissed him back, noticing his eyelashes were wet with tears.

“Maul, I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I couldn’t stop him from taking you. I couldn’t-“ she cut herself off as a sob escaped her throat. Maul didn’t answer, only frowning at his partner’s grief. An explosion suddenly shook the ground, throwing the two off their feet. Naili looked up, forgetting that a ship was on its way.

“We will discuss this later,” Maul promised, cupping her cheek. She nodded, wiping away her tears and handing him his lightsaber. She put on her helmet and turned to the Mandos watching the door.

“I sent Kast our location,” Naili said, “the ship should be-“

“Naili, do you have Maul?” Kast’s voice shouted from her comm.

“I am here, Kast,” Maul replied.

“It’s good to hear your voice, my Lord. You might wanna stand back, we’re blowing a hole through the wall.”

“Understood,” Maul acknowledged before he led everyone away. Just as she said, a loud blast sounded from the cell he was just in. Naili saw a few Mandos step into the fray, along with more droids behind them.

“We have company,” she warned. She dodged a blaster shot aimed for her head.

“Lord Maul, this way!” The man waved them over. Maul grabbed her hand, pulling her to their exit.

“This was your plan?” He turned to her with a smirk.

“Hey, it got us this far, didn’t it?” She winked, some of her humor returning.

“Come on, the ship’s this way,” a woman Mandalorian shot a cable, making a zipline. “You’re not afraid of heights are you?” She joked.

“We’ve been through worse,” Naili scoffed. Maul used a blaster to slide down the zipline, not wasting any more time. The Twi’lek wasn’t far behind, covering him from behind. She managed to a hit a few of the droids, their wiring sputtering before petering out. Some of the troops caught Maul as he landed inside the ship. She saw him wince in pain as he ordered the pilot to shoot the rest of the droids down.

“Kast, you with us?” Naili commed her friend.

“Yes, I’m just on another ship. Set course for Zanbar, we’re getting out of here.”

“Copy that,” she turned towards the pilot. “You heard her, let’s get back to Zanbar.” As soon as they could, they jumped into hyperspace and Naili could finally breathe. Exhaustion pored over her being, the events that just transpired hitting her full on. She walked away from the cockpit, slipping her helmet off. She could use some fresh air. She went into the refresher, splashing some cold water on her face.

Now that Maul was back, she was relieved, but also terrified. She had failed him miserably, broken a promise that she thought she could keep. Not only that, but the death of Savage still weighed fresh on her mind. She was barely keeping it together as it is. A light knock on the door startled her from her thoughts. “I’ll be out in a minute,” she told whoever was on the other side.

“Naili, it is only me,” Maul’s smooth voice called to her softly. The sound of it just about broke her. She dried her face and opened the door, finding him staring at her with worry.

“Maul, I…” she trailed off, crossing her arms over her stomach.

“Come, let us go somewhere more private,” he grabbed her wrist, pulling her into a small room. She wouldn’t meet his eyes, couldn’t. How could he want to talk to her after what happened? He held her chin between his fingers, but she only nudged his hand away. “Naili, what is wrong?”

“Are you okay?” She asked, deflecting his question. He sighed before slightly nodding.

“Dooku was there,” he leaned against the wall.

“Dooku? What would he possibly want with you?”

“He was only there to taunt me,” he growled. “Sidious all but showed him off as his new apprentice.”

“Did they hurt you?” Naili grabbed his hand, tracing the tattoos on the back of it. His silence confirmed her question and she sighed. She put a hand to his bare chest, frowning at the new scars patterned there. “Did Sidious do this?” Her anger returned, replacing the shame she once felt.

“And Dooku,” he sighed, seeing no point to lie to her. He drew her hand up to his lips, kissing her knuckles.

“I dreamt of you,” she admitted. “I dreamt of that…thing hurting you. I saw him tear into you with his lightning.” The tears came fast, her fears returning to the forefront of her mind. She was pacing, her breaths coming in shaky gasps. “You called for me, you reached for me. And all I could do was stand there and watch,” she put a hand to her chest.

“Naili-“

“I couldn’t do anything as they took you away from me. I couldn’t protect you, or Kashvi, or…Savage,” she whispered that last name. At the mention of his brother, Maul flinched. “I made you a promise,” she cried. “I promised you they wouldn’t come for you. I promised you they couldn’t reach you here. I failed,” she clung onto the railing of the bed, her legs crumpling underneath her. Maul moved to catch her, pained to see his partner this way. “I failed you,” she sobbed, “so go ahead. Yell, scream, get mad at me. I wouldn’t blame you if you left.”

“Naili,” Maul gingerly grabbed her chin. She was surprised to see tears swimming in his eyes. “Why would you ever think that I would leave you?” He kneeled on the ground, gently brushing away her tears. “I never believed you failed me. What happened was no fault of your own. Sidious is strong, too strong. Too powerful even for me alone. I never once blamed you.”

Naili sniffed, considering his words for a moment. “But-“

“Naili, my dear,” he cut her off. “I love you, something that was once foreign to me. I am devoted to you, no one else. I would never leave you over something you have no control over.”

“But Savage-“

“Savage’s death is my own doing,” he closed his eyes, a single tear falling. “I was consumed by anger, overconfident in my abilities. Do not blame yourself, please,” he pleaded. He cupped her cheek, his words finding their way into her conscious.

“Maul, I…I love you too,” her voice broke. He smiled, leaning down to kiss her. It tasted of salt but at this point she didn’t care. Her beloved was back with her, he was safe, he was alive. She ran her hands up his arms and linked them around his neck, pressing herself into him. She could feel his breath fanning her cheeks, coming in desperate gasps. He devoured her, his hands roaming her body as if it was the last time he could ever touch her.

She moved ever closer, making sure she could feel the heat of his skin. Slowly, her fear waned, chased away by the feeling that Maul was indeed real and in her arms. She pulled away from his kisses only to embrace him, squeezing him tightly and crying into his shoulder. His arms wrapped around her, his hands shaking. “Maul y-you’re trembling,” Naili held him, “what’s wrong?”

“I missed you,” his voice broke as he buried his head into the crook of her neck. Naili nearly started crying again, but she held back, determined to let him know that she was here in the flesh. They stayed like that, intertwined on the floor, for a long while, relishing in the feeling that they were back together. “I must know,” Maul whispered after they broke apart, “Savage is truly…gone?”

Naili closed her eyes, more tears escaping them. “I’m so sorry, ardo, but by the time I got to him he was gone.” Maul turned his face away from her, taking a few deep breaths.

“I had hoped…” he sighed, tears shining on his skin. Naili gave him a sad smile, cupping his cheek so he could look at her. She brushed the wetness away, joining in his grief.

“I went to Dathomir,” she told him. “I asked Viscus to lay him there. I gave him a proper funeral.”

“You…did?” Naili nodded before remembering she had something to give him.

“I thought you would want this,” she pulled Savage’s lightsaber out of a hidden compartment in her armor. “I was going to rest it with him, but…yeah.” Maul shakily took the saber from her, his hand hovering over it. Naili watched him carefully. He clenched his jaw before hugging the weapon to his chest, his shoulders trembling. His grief seemed to drip off of him, his sobs barely audible. The saber dropped from his hand as he finally let himself mourn. Naili pulled him into her, holding him as he clung onto her tightly.

“I’m sorry, my love, I’m so sorry,” she hugged him with all the strength she could muster. She let him cry on her for as long as he liked, knowing this was something he needed. She would occasionally rub circles into his back, hoping it would soothe both the mental and physical pain he had endured. After a while, his sobs slowed to a stop and he pulled away.

Naili chased his eyes down, finding only exhaustion. “Maul, you need to rest,” she spoke softly. “We still have a few hours until we reach Zanbar. You need to recover your strength.”

“Thank you,” was all he said, giving her the smallest of smiles. He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, moving to gesture to the bed. She sat down on the edge, letting him take off her armor. His movements were slow, delicate, as if one wrong move and she would break. She helped him remove her chestplate, stretching her shoulders a bit.

“Hey,” she rested a hand on his knee, “we’ll get through this. Whatever you decide to do, I’ll be right beside you.” He smiled at her tiredly, pressing a kiss to her temple. He moved to lay down, gathering her in his arms so she could lay her head on his chest. Her dreams were not plagued with death and destruction that night. She thought only of him.

Chapter Text

Naili thought that they would get a moment’s respite once they landed on Zanbar. Now that Maul was back in her arms, all she wanted was to never let go of him again. She barely slept in the ship, while her lover had passed out as soon as his head hit the bed. Naili was tired, so very tired. Her mind had been racing during Maul’s nap. She gave her word. She would be right beside him no matter what he decided to do, no matter if it weighed on her own conscious. But after spending so much time with him, she realized she didn’t want to fight anymore.

Kenobi had slipped through their fingers, Sidious had found the former Sith pretty easily, and her whole world had turned to shit. The last thing Naili wanted to do was go to war once again. At this point, she would settle with leading a peaceful life back on Mandalore. Maybe ruling next to Maul wasn’t such a bad idea. Or maybe she could get him to leave his revenge behind and start a new life with her. She’d always wondered what it would be like to have a family of her own.

But Maul wasn’t done yet, and he was in no position to listen to her rambling, betraying thoughts. It turns out, the Separatists were after them, had tracked them to Zanbar. Not even a minute after they landed, some of the troops had warned of an incoming fleet. It was too much, too overwhelming, too…real. She wasn’t in a skirmish between factions anymore. She was involved in a war. Not only that, but ever since his rescue Maul had been acting strange. She would understand if he was having symptoms of being tortured, but this was different.

He would mutter to himself now and then, as if talking to someone right next to him. When asked, he just gave her a wry smile, telling her everything was alright. She didn’t push, but she didn’t believe him. He also acted…jumpy, which was uncharacteristic of him. A certain tone of voice a Mando would use and he would be clutching his lightsaber, or a blaster shot nearby and his eyes would dart around for an unseeing threat. The strange thing was, this seemed like he was always in preparation for something. Something that, no matter how sneaky she tried to pry, he would always brush her off.

Her worry for Maul became so rampant in her mind that she got separated from him again. “Naili, get your head in the game!” Kast shouted, nudging her away from a shot that narrowly missed her head. The Twi’lek shook her head, trying to focus.

“Sorry, Kast, got a lot on my mind.” She knew it was a feeble excuse, but she couldn’t help it.

“Not good enough. You have to focus on the here and now,” the Mando grumbled. “I just got word. Grievous is here.”

“What?” Naili paused in her attacks, her eyes wide with fright. The general of the droid army himself was here? Why? What could he possibly want with Maul of all people? She suddenly found herself being shaken by Kast, the woman giving her one of her signature glares.

“Naili, what did I just say? I can’t have you freeze up at a time like this!”

“I’m sorry, I just-“ she put a hand to her head.

“I hate to break it to you, but we’re at war now,” the woman sighed. “Listen, I know you didn’t sign up for any of this, but I trust in Lord Maul. Do you?” Naili took a breath, steeling herself. Kast was right. If she couldn’t handle a battle like this, what did that make her?

“I do. Sorry, you’re right. What’s our next move?”

“Right now, destroy as many droids as you can. We have to make the enemy fall back. If we lose this base…” she trailed off, not willing to finish that sentence. Naili only nodded, newfound resolve filling her chest. Losing Zanbar would be devastating for Maul and his followers. An explosion to her left shook her off her feet, clouds of smoke obscuring her vision. Luckily, her helmet saved her from inhaling too much of it.

Worry for Maul clawed at her stomach, but she pushed it down for the time being. He was most likely engaged in his own battle and could handle himself. Right now, she needed to focus on destroying as many droids as she could. More rumbles coming from further away caused her to freeze. That sounded like bombs dropping from the sky. She grunted, raising her comm to her mouth. “Kast, status report!” She quickly dodged a commando droid’s vibrosword, knocking her helmet off in the process.

“It’s not going so well,” she heard her groan in frustration. “Our troops are dwindling and everything’s on fire.” Two more commandos sprung at her from behind, but she easily ducked out of the way. Swiping at the first one’s legs, she managed to make it stumble enough to skewer it in the head.

“Great. Any sign of Maul?” Naili gave a small cry of pain as the tip of one of the droid’s swords grazed her arm.

“One of the men reported seeing the glow of lightsabers from above, but he was shot down before I could get a position,” the sound of the woman’s blasters going off caught the Twi’lek’s attention. She fell to the ground with a grunt as the two droids managed to knock her off her feet. She rolled out of the way just as one of their swords swiped down at her head. Before she could get up, another sword cut into her cheek, blood pouring from the wound and into her mouth .

“Shit!” she cursed as yet another droid came to her other side. She was surrounded.

“Naili?” Kast’s voice rang from the comm, but she had to ignore it. Naili was in trouble, that much was clear. She hated commando droids. She kicked one of them down before jumping to her feet. She got into a defensive position, one Maul had taught her. She really wished she had the force so she could push them away. She felt liquid warmth run down her cheek, the wound starting to throb. A mechanical sound hissed close to her ear and she spun, managing to shoot a droid straight through the head.

Its eyes flashed once, twice, then went dark. The two droids remained, circling her as if she were their prey. One of them pounced, swinging at her, distracting her from the other one that slashed at her jetpack. Before it could blow up, she shrugged it off and threw it at them, only to curse when she realized they had already dodged out of the way. Her moment of anger blinded her and before she knew it, one of the droid’s fists collided into her wounded cheek.

With a cry of pain, her world spun out of focus, her eyes filling with tears. She felt more liquid drip from the wound, tasting iron on her tongue. Quickly, she rolled over, slashing her vibrosword wildly through the air. It was only mere luck that she decapitated one of the commandos. The other pounced on top of her, pinning her to the ground. She struggled under it, finding it was surprisingly strong. The droid used its arm to choke her, slowly putting more pressure on it until she was desperately gasping for breath.

Using her one free hand, she squeezed its faceplate, pushing it away from her. The droid made a garbled noise before plunging its sword into her arm. She let out a choked scream, searing pain shooting up her arm and into her shoulder. Black spots obscured her peripheral vision and with a frightening realization, she knew that any longer under this machine and she would be dead. Naili kicked her feet wildly, feeling her muscles slowing with each passing second. She didn’t want this. This wasn’t how she envisioned her death.

Suddenly, the droid slumped on top of her, releasing its hold. Naili pushed the machine off of her, coughing and spluttering, air finally getting into her lungs. “Commander, are you alright?” A Mandalorian put a hand on her back as she gasped for air. Naili spit, the iron taste of blood making her cringe.

“Yeah, I’m…I’m okay,” she croaked, the pain in her arm more noticeable now. With the help of the man, she shakily got to her feet. “Thank you. Now, we need to-“ she cut herself off as bile rose to her throat. She quickly turned away, retching onto the ground nearby. Her stomach clenched dangerously, pain filling her senses.

“Commander, what’s wrong?” The Mando placed a hand on her shoulder, seemingly uncaring that she had just nearly vomited on him. Naili swayed on her feet, orders on the tip of her tongue before she fell, her world going dark.

*******************

Naili held her shin gingerly, crying as she looked at her injury. “Naili, do sama, what is wrong?” Her father kneeled in front of her, gently tipping her head up so he could meet her eyes.

“My leg hurts, Kora,” she explained, fresh tears falling down her young face.

“Let me see,” he smiled gently. The man inspected his daughter’s leg, frowning as a dark bruise began to take shape. “Can you move it?” Naili sniffed, wiping her nose before carefully sliding her leg to the ground. Her father watched as she clenched her jaw in pain. “Stop, that’s enough,” he said. He placed two fingers on the injury, concern filling his eyes as she flinched. “I will not lie, Naili, I’m afraid you’ve broken your leg.”

“What?” Naili started to panic until her father shushed her.

“How did this happen?”

“I was trying to hunt,” she grunted out. “I couldn’t seem to get my prey so I ran after it. Then I tripped over something and fell. I felt my leg twist under me.”

“Naili, what have I always told you?” Her father scolded with kind eyes.

“Never rush,” she sighed, “wait until your prey comes to you.”

“That is right, sama,” he chuckled. “Now come, let us get you patched up.”

*******************
Naili was met with a blurred ceiling as she awoke. She felt a thin sheet covering her body, a dull ache in her arm, and something around her mouth. Only then did she realize there was a faint beeping noise in the room. She closed her eyes again for a moment, letting her senses slowly adjust. She didn’t feel the cool metal of her armor around her body. How had she gotten that off? Naili’s eyes flew open, memories of recent events flooding back into her mind. Maul’s rescue, Zanbar, getting ambushed by several commando droids.

Naili groaned, becoming increasingly aware of the dull throbbing in her forearm and her cheek. “Naili?” a velvety voice gasped. She knew that voice anywhere. She gingerly moved her head, finding her beloved Zabrak kneeling beside her. She began to sit up, but Maul gently pushed her back. “No, love, you must rest.”

“M-Maul?” Naili frowned, realizing there was an oxygen mask tied around her mouth. How long had she been out. She felt him gently untie the mask, his fingers caressing the side of her temple. She was still confused, a thousand questions burning at the forefront of her mind. Suddenly she was scared. What happened while she was out? She hated not knowing things.
Seeming to sense her fear, Maul moved closer, taking her hand in his and kissing her knuckles. “It is alright, Naili, you are safe,” he offered a gentle smile. Naili blinked, a slight headache forming.

“What happened?” Her mouth felt like cotton, her muscles in her cheek protesting every time she talked. 

“You had me worried,” the Zabrak puffed out a chuckle. At her blank expression, he dropped the act. “You were seriously injured,” he frowned. “I was told you were attacked by multiple droids. They managed to strike a major artery in your arm. You lost a lot of blood.” Naili looked at him in confusion, seeing that his hands had a slight tremble to them. He wasn’t looking her in the eye.

“Maul-“

“I thought I had lost you,” his voice wavered the tiniest bit. Naili swallowed thickly, guilt eating away at her. She hadn’t meant to worry him so much.

“It’s okay,” she smiled weakly, squeezing his hand. “I’m okay.”

“No, my dear, you don’t understand,” he lovingly traced the lines in her palm. “You were unconscious for nearly a week.” Naili blanched, suddenly feeling dizzy again. No wonder she felt as if she was hit by a dozen speeder bikes. Her head started hurting and her stomach churned. Maul shifted uncomfortably, probably sensing her internal panic. He gently caressed her Lekku, shushing her as if she were a child. “It’s alright, love,” he kissed her temple, above her wound, the bridge of her nose, her lips.

“Maul, I-I’m scared,” she admitted, tears clouding her vision. “Why was I gone for so long? Where are we? What aren’t you telling me?” Maul gestured to the bed, silently asking if he could move closer. She nodded, trying her hardest to make enough room for her lover. He helped her, very carefully shifting her while avoiding her injuries. Naili’s confused and dazed mind only led to more fear and emotion. Maul scooped her into his arms, letting her sit up against his chest and nestle between his legs.

He held her close, patiently waiting until her cries slowed, rubbing circles onto her uninjured shoulder. “When I saw Kast carry you into the ship, I feared the worst,” he started slowly, tightening his hold on her protectively. “You were heavily bleeding, your breathing had slowed, and you were so pale. We didn’t have the means to treat your wounds there, and Zanbar had been overthrown, so we left.”

“We lost Zanbar?” Naili frowned.

“Unfortunately, yes, but I had another alternative that was much more hidden. The Mandalorians had an outpost built into an asteroid field, so they took me there. Although they managed to bring you to a stable condition, you still slept for almost a week,” Maul glanced at her arm. Naili allowed herself to look at it for the first time since she woke up. There were bacta patches and bandages covering the wound, her skin feeling sticky. Her arm was sore, but whatever painkillers they gave her were mostly doing the trick. Still, it looked red and swollen around the edges of her bandages and she couldn’t move it.

“So, we’re at the outpost?” She watched as Maul nodded, but there was something else. She could tell he was trying hard to hide whatever emotion he was feeling, but Naili saw it shining in his eyes anyway. “There’s something else,” she stated, raising a brow. Maul sighed, absentmindedly drawing invisible lines into her skin.

“I can’t hide from you it seems,” he chuckled. “I know you have worried about me since Stygeon,” his jaw clenched at the name. “You are right, there is something else. While heading to this base, we were once again attacked by Grievous and Dooku. However, this time, we managed to capture them both.”

“You mean, two important figures of the Clone Wars are here?” Naili tensed, suddenly feeling as if she was being watched.

“Yes, I have them both trapped here. I’m using them as bait, to get revenge on my former master,” he spoke in a low growl.

“What? Maul, I thought you wanted nothing to do with him.” Naili had to tread carefully. She knew how angry and hurt he was about being replaced, but this was going too far. Sidious was a being meant to be feared, the only being that Maul was truly frightened of. Bringing him here was not a wise decision, especially since he’d already been taken by the Sith Lord.

“It was not all my idea,” he admitted softly. “I’ve been helping someone else get their own revenge,” he paused, “on Dooku.” Naili fully sat up, not caring about her healing injuries.

“Maul, what’re you saying?”

“I have found my mother,” he avoided her gaze, his voice tight. Naili froze, understanding why he’d gone to such great lengths to plan everything out. Two of his brothers were gone and he’d never met his father. His mother was all the family he had left.

"Your mother is alive?"

"Yes, but she is not in possession of her physical form," he looked down at his hands. That's when he told her everything. How he’d been hearing her voice since his capture, how he’d seen her when no one else could, and how he learned that Sidious had ripped him away from her without her permission. He told her about the massacre on Dathomir, how Grievous had slaughtered almost all the Nightsisters just so that Dooku could fulfill the Dark Lord’s plans. He got angrier as he told his tale, his voice dangerously low.

Talzin wanted revenge on Dooku not only for Dathomir, but for her son as well. The witch even sent some of the best warriors from the Nightbrother clans in order to help her one and only son. She thought if she could get to the Count, she could get to Sidious. That’s why Maul had captured him along with the cyborg general. He wanted to avenge his family. After he finished, he nervously stared into Naili’s eyes, willing her to understand. “Maul,” she squeezed his hand, “I understand. If a chance for me to help my family came to me like this, I would also take it in a heartbeat. I’m with you,” she promised.

Maul sighed in relief, untensing his shoulders. He gingerly tipped her head up, his eyes softening. “I love you,” he said confidently, capturing her lips in a kiss full of passion. Naili sighed into it, cupping his cheek and delicately running her thumb along his jaw. She felt him smile against her lips, a shiver running down her spine. He latched onto her neck, running feather-light kisses down to the swell of her shoulder. She let out small gasps as he traveled lower, shifting her so she was fully facing him.

Naili felt her Lekku darken with a blush as his hand caressed the skin of her ribcage. “I’ve missed you terribly, my love,” she admitted, relishing in the feeling of his hands and lips wandering. Maul only hummed in agreement as he carefully slipped her thin medbay undershirt up and over her head.

“Do not strain yourself, my dear,” he whispered in her ear, “let me help you.” He gave her a smirk before laying her down, kissing further down until she was clenching her jaw to keep from crying out. Naili giggled, excitement blooming in her chest. He was getting better at this. Suddenly, a resounding rumble shook the room, causing Maul to stumble and jerk his head up to look around.

“What…was that?” Naili sat up, using one arm to prop herself up. It seemed this would have to wait. Maul opened his mouth to speak, but another rumble interrupted him. He grumbled in frustration, clearly upset something had stopped him from enjoying his partner.

“Saxon,” he commed the Mando, “status report.”

“We’re under attack, my Lord,” the man yelled over the noise. “It looks like the Republic fleet.” Another spike of anxiety struck Naili's heart. Why was the Republic here? Did they know about Maul's prisoners? If Kenobi was here, this may be her partner's last chance to finally get his revenge. 

“Keep them at bay, I will be there shortly,” he grit his teeth. Naili had already started to get dressed, preparing to put her armor on. “Naili, I must ask you to not join me in this battle.”

“What?! Why not? You’ll need me out there!” The Twi’lek complained.

“You’re in no condition to fight,” he took her hand.

“Yes I am! I can still hold a blaster. Please, let me come with you,” she panicked, squeezing his wrist.

“Please listen to me,” he sighed, “I do not want you getting hurt.”

“I can take care of myself,” she grumbled, though she winced as she moved her injured arm.

“I know you can, but-“

“Then let me go, let me fight,” she pleaded.

“I already have lost Savage, I will not lose you too!” Maul raised his voice, worry and anger flashing across his face before he sighed. Naili frowned, the fight leaving her body. She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his.

“Okay, I’ll stay,” she relented, looping her arms around his neck. She kissed the corner of his mouth, rubbing her thumb across his nape. “But please, be careful. I can’t lose you, either,” she gave him a sad smile.

“You do not have to stay in this room, but I ask that you don’t join the battle,” he loomed over her, pressing his temple to hers as he breathed her in. Naili didn’t like this. It felt like a goodbye, like something terrible was about to happen. Her heart clenched painfully, the thought of losing him outweighing all other fears she had.

“Just…come back to me,” she whimpered, her voice tight with emotion. Maul kissed her deeply, then, before hesitantly pulling away. Naili stood in the doorway, watching him go. “I love you,” she whispered as his form disappeared around the corner.

Chapter Text

Naili’s pain returned, biting through her body and not giving her a chance to rest. The distant explosions didn’t help, the rattle of the ship only jostling her wounds. Her emotional state had long since faded, but her worry for Maul and Kast never left her mind. She wouldn’t sit here like a damsel in distress, even if her chances of surviving were limited. She winced as she tied a bandage around her arm, ripping it with her teeth. Grabbing her blaster in her good arm and sheathing her vibroblade to her back, she carefully made her way out of her room.
Every once in a while, a Mandalorian ran past her, but they didn’t spare her a glance. Why would they? The whole hideout was under attack, and there may have been a very dangerous cyborg loose. Naili limped her way forwards, unsure of where she was going. She should’ve grabbed the schematics to this place a long time ago, but it was too late now. “Finally!” She exclaimed as she got her commlink to work. “Kast? Kast, it’s me Naili, are you there?” She grabbed the wall as another explosion made her stumble.

“Naili? Thank the stars, I thought you were done for,” the sounds of heavy breathing and blaster fire were in the background.

“It’ll take more than a little cut to kill me,” she smirked, though her voice was laced with pain. “Where are you?”

“No way, I know Lord Maul wouldn’t want you to be anywhere near here,” Kast scolded.

“I just want to help! I may be injured, but I’m not incapacitated.”

“According to the Lord, you are.” Naili scoffed. Of course Maul told a half-truth. He was worried, she understood, but she wasn’t helpless.

“I won’t directly join the fight,” she bargained. “Please, is there anything I can do?”

“Yes, you can go hide in the infirmary. I don’t want you getting killed.” With that, the comm sputtered out. Naili couldn’t believe it, Kast had hung up on her.

“Bitch!” Naili tried getting her back, but it was no use. Besides, she couldn’t truly be mad at her. Kast was only trying to protect her. Naili grit her teeth, another wave of pain hitting her. How was she supposed to find anyone in this maze? Another group of Mandos flew past her, weapons drawn. She smiled, holding her weapon close before following a few steps behind.
Naili had only ever heard about General Grievous from horror stories, like how he liked to hunt his prey. If he had escaped, he was no doubt going on a rampage trying to get back to his allies. It was probably best to avoid any places he was reported to be in. She turned her comm back on, listening to Maul’s troops report from different areas of the battle. Naili knew that if the Republic were here, this base was already lost, especially if Kenobi himself joined the fight.

She also knew that Maul wanted Sidious here, which was a terrible idea in her opinion. If his former master and nemesis were here, it was only a matter of time before Maul ordered a full retreat. “All units, our troops are dwindling, any injured move to the hanger or escape pods. I repeat, any injured troops, prepare to retreat,” Saxon’s voice was unmistakable.

“Negative, negative, do not rendezvous at those coordinates!” Naili stopped in her tracks, trying to make out whose voice it was. “The escape room is damaged; the doors are sealed shut and we’re getting pinned down!” She set her jaw, suddenly knowing what she needed to do. But first, she needed to borrow the base’s schematics.

Maul assured himself that everything was going according to plan. The Jedi being here was just a minor setback. His revenge would soon be accomplished and maybe he could see his mother again, though that thought was buried into the deepest recesses of his mind. However, there was something that he hadn’t been able to predict, something that was constantly distracting him. Naili. The Twi’lek was just a convenience at first, a means to an end. As soon as he was done using her, he would kill her, just like his other tools. He certainly didn’t expect to fall in love with the woman.

Now, every time they fought together, something always seemed to go wrong. He could deal with pain inflicted on himself, that had become a normal occurrence to him. But if anyone were to lay even a finger on his partner, that was a different story. And the fact that he cared was dangerous. Now, he was scrambling to pick up the pieces of his oh-so-perfect plan just so he could fit Naili in somewhere. It went against everything he was taught.

After striking a deal with Dooku just to fight off the Jedi, his thoughts had become a jumbled mess. Maul was no fool. He knew that Naili was getting tired of this life. He knew that no matter how much she pretended to be 100% supportive of his ideas, she was doubting him. That’s when he had another dangerous thought. Would it really be so bad if, after he was done fulfilling his mother’s wishes, he actually settled down with Naili?

“I sense that you are distracted.” Right, he forgot the Count was beside him.

“Do not pretend to be the teacher you think you are, Count,” Maul sneered. He swung his lightsaber, cutting a clone trooper in half. He didn’t know why the Jedi bothered to try and slow him down with these men.

“I am only advising you to focus. You wouldn’t want to be captured now, would you?” Maul simply ignored him, blocking blaster fire aimed for his head. It took everything in him to not slice his head off. Dooku is simply a tool, he reminded himself, though he hoped his use would quickly come to an end.

Naili almost collapsed with relief upon seeing a room that hadn’t been fully destroyed. With the schematics finally in hand, she could now navigate her way through the vents. Sure enough, her theory was correct. The labyrinth above her led to the escape room. If she could make her way there undetected and somehow open the door, she could save a lot of lives. She tied an extra layer of protection around her arm before removing the cover above her and pulling her way inside.

Her arm screamed in protest, the pain ripping its way further through her body. Naili kept her mouth shut, ignoring it. She would be safe up here…hopefully. She continually checked the scanners, listening for any mentions of an angry cyborg general killing countless Mandos. So far, however, some only reported seeing lightsabers nearby. It was possible that Grievous had already escaped, which would be a huge weight off her shoulders. She did not want to come face to face with him.

Naili froze, hearing the sounds of blaster fire nearby. When she checked the map, she realized she was getting close. She peeked through the grate, seeing a small group of Mandos struggling to open the door to the escape pod room. Clones were blocking any exits off. If Maul’s troops were killed, it would be too late for all of them. A wave of nausea hit her, and she swayed. She took a few deep breaths, trying not to vomit. That was the last thing she needed. Carefully, she moved further into the vents and pried off the cover. She was finally above the room.

Naili jumped down, barely catching herself as her shoulder screamed its protests. Inside, multiple warning signs were flashing across the screens, but nobody was here. Blood dripped from her shoulder. Great, her stitches came loose. The world swam out of focus for a moment, forcing her to steady herself against the wall. “Come on, Naili, you can’t fail now.” Switching channels, she listened in on the battle taking place right outside. “Mandalorians, this is Naili. I’m inside the escape pod room and have access to the controls. It might take me a few minutes, but I think I can get it operational.”

“Naili? That’s Lord Maul’s partner, right?” A female voice sounded.

“Yeah, but I thought she was injured,” a male voice replied with skepticism.

“I’m fine for the moment,” Naili held back a groan. “Just hold on a little longer while I get these doors open.”

“We’ll hold out as long as we can!” The woman responded. “We’ll cover you once those doors are working again.”

“Thank you,” Naili gave a tiny smile. With that, she got to work all while trying not to pass out. She wasn’t super tech savvy, but she managed to turn off the alarms and unlock the escape pods.

“Okay, now what?” Naili frantically looked around, noticing that the door was jammed. She couldn’t rewire the door, that would take too long. If the door controls were shot, that meant she had to find a way to open them with the manual controls.

An explosion sounded from outside, startling her. Naili didn’t have much time left. A wave of heat rushed through her and before she knew it, she was retching into a nearby storage bin. “Great,” she wiped her mouth as her vision swam. “There!” She spotted a sign pointing to the emergency controls. With the last bit of strength she had left, she shot the door open and pulled on the lever. Finally, the doors opened and blaster fire poured into the room. She barely registered someone pulling her behind them before she finally succumbed to her wounds.

“…dehydrated…how long…she wakes.”

“…good enough! Work faster!”

“With all due respect, my Lord, I am not a miracle worker.” Naili was met with the sound of worried whispers and blinding lights. The smell of antiseptic filled her nose, only increasing her nausea, though she wasn’t as thirsty anymore.

“What about a bacta tank?”

“That would speed up the recovery process, but the only functioning one we have is back on Mandalore.” Confused, she cracked open her eyes again. This time she saw a splash of red and black. She wanted to call out, but it was as if someone had glued her mouth shut.

“There is no time to go back to Mandalore, not until our plans our finished here. Where we are going, there will be no modern medicine. She will just have to hold out until then,” the voice of Maul sighed.

“We will do everything in our power until then, my Lord.” She listened as his metallic footsteps faded. She felt a tear roll down her cheek, but she still couldn’t open her eyes all the way. Why couldn’t they see that she was awake? Why couldn’t she speak?

Maul was looking at her. Naili’s eyes shot open. Didn’t he just leave? Her body felt numb and tingly at the same time. “Naili?”

“M-Maul?” This time her voice obeyed her. “What happened? Where are we?”

“We are on Dathomir, my dear,” he squeezed her hand.

“What?”

“I told you to not get involved.” There was an edge to his voice, a mixture between anger and worry.

“I couldn’t just sit on my ass and do nothing,” Naili frowned. This was strange. She felt better, more awake and alert, but her limbs were moving in slow motion. It was as if her brain and muscles were disconnected somehow.

“Naili, my plans with Dooku are nearly finished.”

“Dooku’s still here? What about Sidious?”

“I’m merely using Dooku as a means for Mother Talzin to regain her physical form.” Something was wrong. Maul was acting…wary. Well, more than usual. His tone was soft, hushed, as if he was in the possession of something delicate.

“You’re not making any sense,” she felt a headache starting to form. “I don’t understand.”

“I must leave, but I will return with my mother. But you must stay here.”

“What? No, you can’t just leave! There’s still so much I don’t understand!” Maul pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, lingering for a few moments.

“The doctors will explain everything, love. I will come back, I promise.” He moved to walk away, but Naili reached for him anyway.

“Wait, please!” The Twi’lek froze as her hand grasped his wrist. She glanced down to find a metal arm in place of her own. Maul gave her a sad look before he left, leaving her to deal with the shock. Naili shakily held her limb up to her face. “I-It can’t be,” she whispered, suddenly feeling sick.

“We did all we can to save your arm, but the damage was too great. The blade pierced all the way through and not letting it rest only led to injuring it further.” The doctor looked at her with pity, speaking as if she was a delicate child. She didn’t even realize she was crying until she saw the tears dripping onto the sheets. And what did Maul do?

“Just leave me alone,” she whispered.

“I still need to-“

“I said go!” Naili yelled, turning her face away. She didn’t want anyone else seeing her in such a weak state. Maul had left, abandoned her for his plans. He didn’t even try to comfort her as she came to terms with what she lost. Naili was exhausted, tired of trying to keep up with whatever her lover came up with next. She’d been trudging along, willing to do whatever it took to get to the end goal. But this was too much. She had lost too much.

Worse yet, she could see Maul slipping, getting more desperate. Something was chipping away at his mind, she just didn’t know what it was yet. Naili loved Maul. She loved him so much that even if she was starting to see problems, she would still do anything to be by his side. It frightened her. She looked down at her new prosthetic, flexing the hand a few times. It didn’t feel any different, but at least now she knew why she felt so much better.

Running her fingers along the smooth, golden grooves hidden in between the casing, a tear fell down her cheek. The prosthetic was beautiful, unlike anything she’d ever seen. Even Maul’s weren’t as extravagant, though he’d told her they were made by Death Watch. She wondered if he had these specially made. Her heart warmed at the thought before she realized she was mad at him. She flexed her fingers again, swallowing hard as she heard the clinks and whirs of the wires inside. Rolling her shoulder, she found a bit of soreness but otherwise nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Sighing, she leaned over, slowly putting her head in her hands. Her hands shook, something that was happening far too often. Her thoughts wandered again to Maul, no matter how much she wanted him out of her head. Was his plan really going to work? What would happen if he walked in with his mother? Would she approve? She’d never met a Dathomirian witch before. Naili scoffed. What was she thinking, this wasn’t important right now. “Shit,” she whispered. Another tear, another tremble of her chin. “Against my better judgement, I would follow you to the end.”