"How's she doing?"

Obi-Wan shook his head, heaving a sigh. "She's just as sick as before, if not delusional at points."

Anakin glanced at Zelina on her bed in the Temple, worry furrowing his brow. Ever since the Naboo incident Zelina had been noticeably distracted and unwell, though eventually she'd become so sick she'd reluctantly relinquished command of the 105th for the time being so she could come back to rest. Now, she was hardly in any state to get out of bed, let alone lead.

"The Healers said she'd get better in time, but I'm not seeing any improvements, Obi-Wan."

"There's nothing really wrong with her Anakin. I mean...we're all mortal. It's probably her body simply rebelling against the non-stop push its been under. When was the last time she really took a break, or wasn't under stress?"

Anakin had to admit Obi-Wan had a point, but still...

"What if there's more to it than that? I mean...we all know she has an unusually strong connection to the Force. What if these ramblings when she's nigh delusional aren't ramblings?"

Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow, watching Anakin as he stared at Zelina. "Her mumblings about the past, present, future, and someone by the name of Luke?"

Anakin's head snapped up. "She's mentioned Luke?"

Obi-Wan's eyebrows rose further. "You actually know what she's been talking about?"

Anakin shifted away, approaching Zelina's currently unconscious figure. "She's...she's been having visions for a few years now, where a young man by the name of Luke gives her advice and warnings of the future. He hasn't been wrong yet, and he's always given her good advice...when she can make sense of it," he murmured.

"Do you think it's another vision?" Obi-Wan asked, coming to stand beside him. Anakin shrugged.

"I don't know. Without her awake to tell us...I can only presume," Anakin murmured, suddenly gazing at Zelina in deep concern.

"Do you have any idea who this Luke is? I mean...guidance from a stranger isn't exactly, well, wise. What if whoever he is happens to be someone of the dark side?"

"He's not," Anakin said so sharply Obi-Wan was taken aback. Anakin had to make a conscious effort to soften his tone as he continued. "Zelina already told me he's definitely a Jedi, and his presence in her visions is pure. On top of that...she thinks he may be a future student of hers. The reason she keeps turning the Council down is she feels she's meant to teach him."

And I already agreed to her teaching Luke when he's born. She's committed to training him, Anakin added in his mind.

Obi-Wan inclined his head. "How come I'm only now hearing about this?"

Anakin shook his head. "Some of her visions have been extremely private—I don't think I'm even privy to all of what she's seen in her visions. Part of the reason I know is because I've been involved in some of them."

Obi-Wan stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Regardless...whatever's wrong, whether this is a vision she's had or having, we won't know until she's better. We won't be getting a straight answer out of her anytime soon," Obi-Wan told him.

Anakin sighed, taking up the chair beside her bed. "Yeah, I know...you can go ahead and go home, I can look after her a little longer."

Obi-Wan nodded, placing a hand briefly on Anakin's shoulder. "Don't forget to take care of yourself, too," Obi-Wan said softly before he left.

Anakin watched him go, feeling a slight twinge of regret. Things between him and Obi-Wan were healing—most likely from taking care of Zelina together and their mutual concern for her—but they just...weren't the same.

His trust had been broken, and it had run deep. He didn't know if he'd be able to trust Obi-Wan so completely ever again.

Deciding not to focus on that grim thought at the moment, Anakin turned his attention back to Zelina, placing a hand on her head and smoothing a few sweaty locks of hair from her face.

"Come on, Zelina...I need you to get better," Anakin murmured. "And...I need to know what's going on with my son..."

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

Yellow—no, burning, vivid ocher eyes...red on black...hate and anger...agony...a scream of loss and fury...

The past...

Something sinister...

It's coming back...

Darkness, choking, swallowing everything whole...

Something was rippling through the Force, growing stronger with each new rippled ring...

Evil, raw hatred and so much evil...

It was familiar...

The eyes, they were coming, getting closer...

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

"No!" Zelina screamed, shooting up in bed. Her entire world tilted and spun from the action, and she felt as if she would be sick. She trembled, unable to support her own weight, and someone else appeared to grip her shoulders, keeping her steady and lying her back down. She was too weak to protest, panting heavily.

"Take it easy, Zelina, it's all right...you need your rest..." came the soothing voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

But no...everything wasn't all right. She could still feel it, coming closer, coming for her...

No...

...for the people you care about...

Zelina shook her head, which was pounding with a killer headache. She felt like she was burning up just as much as she was freezing.

Freezing like Luke had been...

"It's not okay, it's not okay," she murmured, mouth dry and lips parched. "It's coming; don't you feel it?"

"Zelina, stay with me—tell me what he said. What's coming?" Obi-Wan asked patiently, and even though it made her head hurt more Zelina started to cry like a frightened child.

"It's so evil, so cold...those eyes...why are they familiar?"

"Zelina, don't get lost on me now, please. What's coming? What did Luke say?"

She was too feverish, too delusional, seeing the eyes everywhere, feeling it come closer...

Yet...some part of her answered...in a way.

"The past...it's coming back...for the people...I care about..." Zelina said tiredly, feeling her strength slip away once more as she mumbled the rest. "Present...darkness...future...cold...don't...won't...Luke..."

And with that, she slipped away again.

Obi-Wan was unsettled by Zelina's episode the other day. In fact, he was worried enough he considered going to Yoda.

He had been feeling...stirrings of something evil in the Force, though he hadn't given it as much attention as when Zelina had mentioned it in her feverish state.

Perhaps she wasn't delusional at the moment. Maybe she was extremely in tune with the Force, but what she was sensing was too much on top of the strain she'd already been under. With that theory in mind, Obi-Wan had done his best to ease her out of that deep connection with the Force back to a regular one. Sure enough, she'd relaxed more—though she was still restless and sick—and was making a gradual recovery.

That didn't mean the things she'd murmured while she'd been so sick were to be ignored.

And to concern Obi-Wan even more, Yoda had contacted Obi-Wan before Obi-Wan could even commit to contacting Yoda.

With all of this weighing on Obi-Wan's mind, he entered Yoda's chambers, unsurprised to see the Grandmaster meditating in his usual spot by the window, even if the storm outside was horrendous at the moment.

"Master Yoda..." Obi-Wan said softly, caught in between addressing his concerns and hearing what Yoda had to say.

Yoda made the decision for him, and it seemed what Yoda wanted to speak about was along the same vein.

"Feel the disturbance in the Force, do you?" Yoda asked without opening his eyes.

"Yes, Master."

"Fear you are in danger, I do," Yoda stated grimly, opening his eyes. Obi-Wan was startled.

Me?

The past...its coming back...for the people I care about...

Had Zelina meant him? Did she know whatever this was, it was after him?

To add to the mystery of it all and cause Obi-Wan's already deep seated concern to grow, Yoda continued.

"From the dead, an old enemy has awakened, seeking...vengeance."

The past...

"An old enemy?" Obi-Wan echoed, coming to stand in front of Yoda.

"Killed your master, many moons ago, he did."

It's coming...so evil...so cold...those eyes...familiar...

The past...it's coming back for the people I care about.

Ice chilled Obi-Wan to his very core as he stared at Yoda, eyes wide. "How can this be? I killed him myself!"

"It is so, I fear..." Yoda said quietly.

"Darth Maul...alive?" Obi-Wan whispered, turning to the window and gently stroking his beard, one thought dominating his mind.

How?

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

The screaming of terrified children reverberated in her mind, causing Zelina to wake with a start and lean over the bed towards the trash bin she kept there, where she promptly emptied the contents of her stomach.

She'd been recovered from her sickness for several days now, but still confined to bedrest to make sure it completely passed. It was the only reason she was still in bed instead of out on the front lines.

But perhaps it was best. The galaxy had been getting darker, and with Zelina's recent rash of visions—basically reliving the same one repeatedly with the sprinkling of the ocher eyed gaze and darkness throughout—it was probably best she wasn't on the front lines right now.

But this one...the red blade...the screaming children...the urgency and realness of it...

Zelina rolled out of bed, standing on shaky legs and hastily getting dressed.

She needed someone right now...Obi-Wan, Anakin, even Yoda, just...someone...

With that in mind, Zelina put her hair up into a messy bun on her way out the door, lightsabers on her hips as always as she made her way down the hall. She sought out one of the three presences, and was surprised to find that two of them were in the same room.

Obi-Wan and Yoda...and the mood was grim.

Zelina felt the hole in her stomach grow, but she was nudged forward by the Force, and as much as she didn't want to know why they were so grim, she moved forward anyway.

Everything's getting so dark in this galaxy, she noted again in her head. Where is the light these days? It feels like the Jedi just...aren't enough...

With that dark thought in mind, Zelina made her way to—already a bad sign—the war room, hesitating just for a moment before she was prompted again to go inside. The door slid open...

The first thing she saw was that a holorecording was running. The second was the five people in a line, obviously terrified for their lives. The third...

"There will be more innocent blood on your hands, Kenobi! Unless you come here, face me. Come alone, and if you do not...this world—" the people were decapitated in one fluid swing, "—will burn!"

A hand rose to cover Zelina's mouth as she stared in horror at the figure now frozen on the screen, trembling noticeably.

It's not possible!

'NO!'

'Stay there Zelina!'

M...

"Maul?" Zelina barely managed to whisper.

"I have to go..." Obi-Wan said softly, apparently oblivious to Zelina's entry. That rattled her to action, and Zelina quickly made her way down the steps.

"Not alone!" she protested, drawing everyone's attention. Surprise was evident on Obi-Wan's expression, though Windu looked upset, and the holograms of Master Mundi and Master Plo Koon looked somewhat surprised, though not much.

Yoda was...Yoda. She couldn't tell if he was surprised, if he'd expected her, or if he was even a little upset she was here.

"Zelina, what are you doing out of bed, and here of all places, this is a private meeting," Obi-Wan said seriously, though Zelina was shaking her head already.

"I...had another bad nightmare...and the Force led me here. Now I know...my dreams...they've been of him," Zelina said sharply, gesturing towards the holo of Maul in the middle of the room. "Tell me you won't go alone, Obi-Wan! It's obviously a trap!"

"I agree with Du'ahn," Windu said seriously, fixing Obi-Wan with a sharp stare. "We'll send a task force with you."

"No," Obi-Wan said sharply, looking between them. "You've seen what he's capable of. He's a broken, unbalanced monster. I've dealt with him before; I can do it again."

"I disagree—this is clearly a trap," Windu countered.

"Obi-Wan, please..." Zelina pled with him, her vision at the forefront of her mind.

To everyone's surprise, Yoda stepped forward. "Against my better judgement, agree with Master Kenobi, I do. Finish what he started long ago, Obi-Wan must."

The two hologram present Jedi Masters bowed and disconnected, signaling that the meeting was done with Yoda's final word. However, Zelina wasn't.

"Master Yoda, please," she all but begged, turning back to Obi-Wan. "Don't go alone!"

Obi-Wan shook his head, already turning for the door. "I am off for Raydonia."

With that, he was gone, and Zelina spun back around to the remaining two Masters. Windu was already chastising her.

"Du'ahn, you should not be here—you intruded upon a private meeting that was for select Council Members only," Windu chided him, but Zelina didn't care.

"I was led here, by the Force, after the nightmare I had about this. I saw it happen!" Zelina argued, gesturing back towards the hologram. "Obi-Wan can't go alone!"

"Not alone, will Kenobi be. An unexpected ally, he may have," Yoda said solemnly. "Trust the Force, we must."

Zelina almost bit her tongue at that, but one last protest slipped past her. "Then why my visions, Master Yoda? Why bring me here at this exact moment?"

Yoda sighed. "Come with me, then. Discuss these visions, we will."

Zelina hesitated, uncomfortable with the idea of sharing these visions of Luke with someone else. And yet...perhaps Yoda could help her make sense of it. At least of the last part, before something truly horrific came to be.

"Yes, Master Yoda," Zelina said quietly, her mind still on the fact that Obi-Wan was going to face Maul alone.

As they made their way towards Yoda's chambers, the grandmaster engaged her in small talk. "Feeling better, I see you are. Recovered, feel you?"

Zelina sighed. "I guess. I mean...I'm still a little weak from the fever, but not terribly so. I can still function properly. I just have a little less stamina right now."

"Glad you feel better, I am. Worried deeply for you, Skywalker and Kenobi were."

Zelina nodded. "I know they were."

The doors to Yoda's chambers opened, and the two entered with Zelina taking the seat across from Yoda's usual spot, waiting patiently for Yoda to settle. She remained quiet, allowing Yoda to study her for a moment before he spoke.

"These visions, you mention. Had them for a while, have you?" Yoda started.

Zelina hesitated and, deciding Yoda couldn't help her if she didn't tell him as much as possible, she decided to be honest. "Yes...and no. The one I mentioned in the war room...I've been having since Naboo...but the visions in general I've been having since the start of the Clone Wars."

Yoda's brow furrowed in concern. "A long time to be having visions without council."

Zelina shook her head. "They were...strange to me, yes...but when they made no sense, they were never of a pressing issue. And when they were pressing, it was usually crystal clear, so I didn't believe I needed to seek council because what they were about was obvious. But this last one."

"Tell me about them, will you? Start from the beginning, you should," Yoda said with a slow nod.

Zelina hesitated again. "Master...I mean you no disrespect...but some parts of these visions...I can't share."

Yoda's eyebrows raised. "Keeping secrets, are we, hmm?"

Zelina blushed. "I know it's not right to keep things from the Council, especially things that could be important, but this...I know this has to stay secret. At least this part."

After a few moments, Yoda sighed. "Believe you, I do. What you can, you may tell me."

Zelina nodded, relaxing marginally. "The first one was after my battle with Dooku. I dreamed of a little boy who said his name was Luke. He was scared, and told me he'd been told I would protect him, and said he knew me. There was a man lying unconscious, possibly dead a little ways away, so I went to investigate and all I saw were a Sith's eyes, and I woke up. I thought that would be the only one I had, but...I had more. All with this same Luke, except the next time I saw him, he was...older, and a Jedi."

Yoda chose that moment to briefly interject. "A Jedi, you say. Someone important to your future, perhaps?"

"I think so, Master Yoda. I think I'm meant to train him."

Yoda nodded. "Make sense now, your constant declining of our offer to teach a padawan. Continue, you may."

Zelina nodded. "The next time I saw Luke was after the other Geonosis incident with Master Kenobi, Luminara, Mundi, and Anakin. He may have even pulled me out of limbo, and brought me back to consciousness. The third time...he told me who he was, though I can't say. And he told me that I could be his protector, his teacher, his guardian...or not be there at all. Then he told me I also had a duty to take care of Anakin and watch over him, which I was already doing but...he stressed its importance to me. Then, the last time I saw him...was during my fight with Krell. He had me down, I was out for the fight and preparing to die because I knew I couldn't get back up, but...Luke came out of nowhere, he pulled me to my feet...he said 'Get up, Soldier, you're not dying on me today,' and as soon as he touched me I had the strength to defeat Krell."

Yoda's head cocked to the side. "Explain much, this does. Only leaves this recent vision you speak of."

Zelina nodded, paling. "When I had it...it made no sense. Luke appeared to me, and he asked me if I was prepared, prepared for everything that was about to happen all at once because I was the only one who could change everything and asked me what I was willing to do. When I told him anything, he grew upset and...his age started to change, and he was growing younger and older in front of me. He told me I couldn't be willing to do anything because that was why we were in this mess, which I didn't understand what he was talking about and I still don't. Then...he gave me three warnings. He told me The past is coming for the people I care about, the present is bringing more darkness and I had to help him—him being someone other than Luke, and then finally..."

Zelina trailed off, struggling to speak of the last, terrifying message Luke had left her with. "It was jumbled. He said...the future was so cold, and it was moving so fast and he doesn't know what's happening to him, that sometimes he was at peace and there was nothing wrong, and other times it was just nothingness, or darkness...that there was no light and he was all alone, and he begged not to be alone. And when I touched him he was so cold...and he was growing colder with every second, and he begged me not to let 'it' take him, not to let him die, he said he was scared and then...I woke up."

Zelina looked back up at Master Yoda. "I was so confused about most of it, Master Yoda, but with the warnings he's given me, I feel like...Luke's state of being represents the state of the future, and hearing him so scared of being swallowed up by darkness, of dying...it terrifies me. Especially since two parts of his dream have already come true. Maul's come back for revenge on Obi-Wan, the past coming for the people I care about, and at present this galaxy is growing darker with every passing day, and at the then immediate present...Anakin had a brush with the dark side, and I had to snap him out of it. I'm scared of what the future is going to bring, Master Yoda. And how soon it's coming. And if I'm meant to change this...what am I doing wrong that this galaxy is continuing to get worse?"

Yoda regarded her seriously, his green eyes alight with worry. "Troubling this is...but shrouded, the future remains. Unclear, to me, it is. While important these visions are, overtake your present, they cannot, Du'ahn."

Zelina nodded miserably. "I know, Master Yoda...the future is always in motion. And we should keep visions in mind but not let them consume our present, or we could end up self-prophesying."

Yoda nodded. "Meditate on this, I will. Keep this Luke's warning in mind, you should, but not let it control your present, as well. Else find yourself unable to prevent what he warns you of, you may, or waste time worrying when preventing this future, you could have been."

Zelina paused. She hadn't thought of it that way. She'd been out of commission for several weeks now worrying over this vision—though part of it she had been sick for—when she could have been out there fighting that darkness Luke kept speaking of. She couldn't afford to do that, especially if this tragedy Luke kept mentioning was so close to their current time.

"Thank you, Master."

"Now, somewhere to be, Knight Du'ahn, have you not?"

Zelina looked up at him, surprised and confused. "Master?"

Yoda's eyes twinkled. "If leave now, you don't, catch up to Master Kenobi, you will not."

Zelina stood up instantly, though she stayed where she was. "But Master, you said Obi-Wan should go alone!"

"Clear it is to me now, that made you aware of this, the Force did for a reason. Intertwined, your paths are, concerning Maul. Clear to me now, that much is. Go, you must—help Obi-Wan however you can."

Zelina bowed deeply, relieved on multiple levels. "Thank you, Master Yoda."

"Careful, you must be, Du'ahn. Clear it is now, a big role have you in the fate of the galaxy."

Zelina didn't know how to respond to that one, so she simply inclined her head and left to gather her things.

If she wanted to catch up to Obi-Wan on Raydonia, she had to leave now.

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

Zelina took a small, standard issue fighter that wasn't even her own to Raydonia, launching into hyperspace as soon as it was possible to do so and pushing the ship for all it was worth to Raydonia. The Force around her seemed to hum with its warning, and the hairs on the back of Zelina's neck stood on end more and more the closer she came to Raydonia.

Maul...the last time she'd seen him...Obi-Wan had cut him in half...so long ago...over a decade ago...

Zelina felt fear squirm in her gut, but she did her best not to think about it, shoving the emotion aside and guiding her ship to the surface of Raydonia once she arrived. To her alarm, as soon as she was within the atmosphere of the planet she could feel the sense of urgency in the air, allowing the Force to guide her to set her ship down on the outskirts of a town, hidden by the jungle.

She didn't even bother to secure the ship—she had no valuables in there. Instead she raced to the border of town, leaping onto the buildings despite the fact the air was thick with black smoke. Her stomach clenched to see the bodies of young, old, male, and female alike strewn across the streets, but she couldn't let the sight distract her now. Powering through, Zelina leapt from rooftop to rooftop, seeking out Obi-Wan, who she could now sense was conscious, but in pain with a growing sense of doom.

Hang in there, Obi-Wan, don't give up on me now!

Finally, Zelina came to a mass of burning buildings, arriving just in time to see Obi-Wan without his weapon, struggling to his feet to face not only Maul...

...but also Savage Oppress.

Why? Why did he have to be added to the mix!

As he rose to his feet, Savage pummeled his huge fist—while holding his giant lightsaber—into Obi-Wan's face, knocking the man out cold and sending him sprawling on his back.

"Obi-Wan!" Zelina shouted from above, igniting both lightsabers while still running and jumping down from the buildings to land protectively in front of him much as she had with Anakin when Cad Bane had attempted to kill him.

A shard of recognition pierced the Force and, dreading that she knew the look that would be in his gaze, Zelina looked up to meet Darth Maul's gaze, lightsabers poised and ready to fight the two ruthless Sith.

"I remember you," Maul growled. "My, my...well if it isn't Kenobi's frightened child ward. You were there when I killed his master."

Zelina's gaze hardened. "And when he relieved you of your legs," she spat.

"Brave words for a child about to die," Maul snarled, and both he and savage attacked her simultaneously.

Zelina grit her teeth, using her dominate hand to hold of Savage's large lightsaber and her other to knock aside Maul's blade, taking a risky swing at him to get him to back off and slash at Savage in the few seconds it gained her to get him to back off as well. When they tried to come at her again, Zelina drew from deep within herself and let out a powerful discharge through the Force, letting it ripple through the air and slam into Maul and Savage at the same time, knocking them both back several feet. It was enough for her to heft Obi-Wan onto her shoulders, backtracking swiftly to try and get him to safety.

Unfortunately, she was quick to find out that Maul was swift on his new legs, and she was forced to turn around and engage him once more after getting halfway down the street, dropping Obi-Wan so her other arm could be free to engage Savage. She was already at a disadvantage because she was fighting two Sith at once by herself, but she also couldn't move lest she leave Obi-Wan exposed so they could use him against her.

Jumping into the situation instead of choosing stealth was possibly going to cost her life this time, as she wasn't about to retreat and abandon Obi-Wan now that she was here.

Kriff!

Still, Zelina kept her worry locked tightly away, holding firm even as both Sith pressed down on her at once, working to overcome her. Zelina grit her teeth, digging her heels in protest so they wouldn't push her back away from Obi-Wan.

She could hold out a little longer, she had to! She had to stay in one piece for Obi-Wan, he needed her right now!

Another disadvantage she was at quickly showed itself, as Maul took one hand off of his lightsaber—something she couldn't do as each hand held a lightsaber—and summoned something out of her point of view. All she knew was that suddenly the Force was screaming at her and she twisted her body awkwardly just in time to avoid a splintered beam Maul had sent sailing towards her. However, now her stance was all wrong, her defense weakened, and Savage kicked her in the leg just right to make her knee buckle, and Maul came in to burn her up the length of her back.

Zelina screamed in pain, though she kept her lightsabers up on pure instinct, barely managing to halt the killing blow Savage had tried to make with his lightsaber, the blood red blade inches from her face.

"Wait, Brother," Maul said suddenly as Zelina strained under the large yellow and black Zabrak's attack. "She may be of use to us...don't kill her yet. We will wait until Kenobi is awake to execute her properly for her bravery."

Zelina's teeth grit, and even though she knew it was useless she swung lightsaber to deflect Maul's new attack at the same time Savage overpowered her, and she felt another burn cut up the length of her right side before Savage hit her upside the head and everything started to fade.

She thought, just for a few seconds, that she saw Luke behind them, heard his voice screaming her name...but it wasn't...her name...he wasn't calling her Zelina...what was he calling her? Whatever it was, she knew he meant her...but she was too tired...

She slipped away into unconsciousness.

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

Obi-Wan was in pain.

Ever since he'd woken up in a cargo bay of some freighter, Maul and Savage—mostly Maul—had been using him for their punching bag. Even now, as Maul held him up by the face before tossing him into the heavy metal boxes on his left, Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel a spark of anger, his usually tidy hair falling into his eyes, panting heavily as Maul grabbed him again by the scruff of the neck, throwing him into Savage. Savage didn't even flinch, grabbing Obi-Wan by the head to turn him around to face Maul, who promptly backhanded him.

"Still as weak as ever," Maul snarled at him before Savage picked him up and threw him into the metal wall.

"And they call you Master..." Maul stated disdainfully.

"You know, when I cut you in half...I should have aimed for your neck instead," Obi-Wan returned despite the immense pain he was in, doubled over one of the crates. In the next moment, he felt a large hand grab his ankle, and he was thrown at Maul's feet.

At least he was alone in this nightmare.

Maul gestured towards a larger metal crate they'd left mysteriously alone in their abuse of Obi-Wan. Savage nodded, kicking Obi-Wan on his way by. Savage did make a quick stop to the cockpit first, however, and Obi-Wan felt the ship start up and start to take off before Savage returned, messing with the locks on the crate.

"Anything else to say?" Maul asked smoothly

"I like your new legs—they make you look taller," Obi-Wan said with a self-satisfied smile, something that only seemed to infuriate Maul more. Using the Force, Maul dragged Obi-Wan up, grabbing his face to hold him up and drag him to where Savage and the crate were. He activated the lightsaber, holding it to Obi-Wan's face.

"I will make sure you stay awake long enough to feel every single cut. Your death will be beyond excruciating—you will suffer, as I have suffered," Maul snarled. "But...she will be first."

Obi-Wan felt ice flow through him, only suffering a few moments of confusion before Savage lifted another prone figure from the crate.

Zelina.

He didn't have time to think of how or why or any other logical question. Instead, he struggled mightily in Maul's grip as Savage hefted the unconscious girl up by the arms.

Not her!

"Yes...imagine my surprise when she came to your rescue. That frightened child I remember you worked so hard to protect that day. A treat for me...and now I can make your death all the more excruciating when I make you watch hers first."

"What a surprise!"

Obi-Wan stilled.

Never in his life had he ever been so grateful to hear her voice.

Everyone looked up to stare in shock at the unmistakable Asajj Ventress, standing up on the balcony as cool and refined as ever.

"My former servant, still an animal," she said casually, shifting her gaze from Savage to Maul. "And you have a friend now."

"My brother," Savage spat.

"A brother!" Ventress stated as if she was shocked. "Looks like he's half the man you are, Savage. How unfortunate. I was looking for a challenge—not some wretched cast-offs from the Nightbrothers clan. What a dissapointment," she finished in disgust, disappearing into the shadows with a bone-chilling cackle. Obi-Wan simply took her distraction as time to gather himself, mind racing as he stared at Zelina's unmoving form.

How was he possibly going to get them out of this?

"Who is this, Brother?" Maul asked as Savage simply dropped Zelina, coming back to back.

"A Dathomir Witch. She betrayed me," Savage growled as Ventress let out another wicked laugh, a door up on the balcony closing.

"She knows too much! Destroy her!" Maull snarled, backhanding Obi-Wan hard enough he basically blacked out again.

"Kenobi! Don't tell me someone's finally knocked the fight out of you!" He heard Ventress say from what felt like far away, feeling himself turned over though still a long way from full consciousness. "Wake up!"

Obi-Wan groaned lightly, though a harsh slap to the face pulled him back to reality, and Ventress' face swam back into view. "Ventress?"

"It looks like I'm here to rescue you," she said in amusement as Obi-Wan dusted himself off, stumbling over to Zelina to wake her up as well.

"When did you become the good guy?" Obi-Wan asked as he flipped the girl over, noting the burn marks along her back and side, as well as the blood trail down her temple.

"Don't insult me," Ventress returned darkly while Obi-Wan slapped Zelina's face a few times, tugging at her presence in the Force.

"Come on, Zelina, wake up," Obi-Wan chided the girl.

"Don't let her get killed, I actually like her," Ventress chided him.

"What a lovely sight you are to wake up to," Obi-Wan returned, relieved when Zelina started to stir as he continued to slap her face and shake her. "Wake up!"

"Don't flatter yourself, Kenobi, you've never been much to look at. Especially now."

Zelina's eyelids fluttered open, and she seemed to focus on Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan..." she murmured. "You're okay...where are we?" she murmured, still obviously out of it.

"In a situation normally Anakin would have put us into," Obi-Wan said with a sigh, helping her sit up. "But I'm going to need you on your feet soon because we're not out of this yet."

As if to punctuate his point, the doors in the balcony hissed open and Savage's voice echoed down towards them. "The witch and the Jedi."

"Here for our taking," Maul's voice hissed from the darkness, his lightsaber coming to life in the dark corner opposite from Savage.

"I'm going to need you on your feet now, Zelina," Obi-Wan said grimly, helping her rise to her feet.

"Duly noted," Zelina grunted, in agony before she was even standing straight. "Luke, if there was ever a time to show up and work some Force magic now would be the time," she muttered under her breath, causing Obi-Wan to frown.

What was she talking about?

He didn't get long to wonder, as Ventress was pressing one of her lightsabers into Obi-Wan's hands. "I want that back!" she said sharply.

"That's fine—red's not my color," Obi-Wan said with a smile despite the situation.

At least it was better than it had been a few minutes ago.

"I'll just...act as the backup...and try to stay out of everyone's way until I get a weapon of my own," Zelina murmured. "The Force Abilities person."

"So long as your useful and don't get in the way," Ventress replied as everyone stood as straight as they could, forming a circle in the middle.

"On your feet, soldier, you're not dying on me today," Zelina seemed to whisper to herself beside Obi-Wan, though he brushed it off, as now was not the time to get distracted.

"Ready?" Obi-Wan asked as Ventress and he both activated the red blades.

"Like you even have to ask," Ventress responded.

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

As soon as Maul and Savage jumped down to engaged, Zelina flung her hands out, throwing boxes their way to give Obi-Wan and Ventress a few more seconds. Maul was swift to dodge the crates and cross blades with Obi-Wan, while Savage brutally knocked the boxes aside, advancing on Ventress and forcing her to go into her nimble evasive maneuvers and offenses early. Within seconds, Obi-Wan and Ventress swapped in one fluid motion, and Zelina used that motion to safely duck out of the center where she was at risk of getting impaled by four lightsabers, scurrying off to the side a safer distance away and summoning her Force abilities again to wait for the right moment to strike.

The pair switched opponents again, though to Zelina's alarm Savage managed to disarm Ventress and knock her over a crate, causing her to bend awkwardly backwards.

"Oh no you don't," Zelina growled, grabbing the monster in the Force and tossing him into a pile of crates to buy Ventress the time to straighten and regain her bearings. As soon as Ventress had gathered herself, she jumped onto Savage's shoulders, pummeling him in the face before Savage plucked her off and threw her into the crates above Zelina, who darted away to remain out of the main action, where she was more helpful right now.

Though Ventress wouldn't last long in this fight if she didn't have a lightsaber...

Zelina cast her gaze around, noticing there were two extra lightsabers on Maul's belt, and one extra one on Savage's belt. One of Zelina's was on Maul's, the other on Savage's, and Obi-Wan's lightsaber also hung from Maul's belt.

Well, those would certainly even the odds.

"Ventress!" Zelina called as Savage pushed the woman into the crates, yanking her lightsaber off of Savage's belt and sending it into Ventress' hand. The woman smiled victoriously, igniting the violet blade and using it to fight off Savage. After that, Zelina called the two on Maul's belt into her hand when Obi-Wan managed to shove the Sith into a stack of crates, igniting her green blade and throwing the blue one towards Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan, catch!" she called, and Obi-Wan easily caught the weapon.

"Ventress!" Obi-Wan called in reply, throwing Ventress her other red blade back to her, which allowed Ventress to once more be in her element of two lightsabers on one while Obi-Wan used his. With the distraction of the switch, the two Sith momentarily gained the upper hand, with Savage boring down on Ventress while Maul kicked Obi-wan so hard he went sailing into the upper crates and was stuck there for a few moments before he hefted himself up into the balcony. Zelina scurried along the edge, limping in her wounded state as she sought out Ventress' other fallen blade, her green lightsaber ready in case she needed to use it. She found it in the way back behind a stack of crates, activating the red blade and rushing towards her.

"Need some help?" Zelina asked, coming up behind Savage and batting the brutes lightsaber away with both her blades.

"It would be much appreciated," Ventress replied smoothly, and the two girls took turns harassing Savage, who was annoyingly spinning his large double bladed lightsaber in a circle that kept them at bay. Zelina danced around the parameter, coming around to where Ventress was long enough to switch Ventress' other red blade for her violet one as she passed her, glad to have her usual weapons once more.

"Can you handle him while I get Obi-Wan? If we're both on him he's just going to keep spinning that blasted thing," Zelina stated.

"Go ahead, I can handle my brute," Ventress said degradingly, causing Savage to snarl as Zelina pulled herself up the crates to the balcony, where Obi-Wan and Maul were currently fighting.

"Your Master Qui-Gon Jinn, I gutted him while you stood helpless and watched," Maul snarled, and Zelina was shocked—somewhat—to feel rage bubbling up in Obi-Wan. "How did that make you feel, Obi-Wan?"

With a shout of fury, Zelina pulled herself up in time to see Obi-Wan uncharacteristically attack Maul in a blind rage, lightsaber flashing furiously with no real form. It was something she'd expect from Anakin, but Obi-Wan...

She would have never dreamed.

She snapped herself out of it when Maul kicked Obi-Wan in the gut, causing him to fly into the wall where he slumped.

"Your rage has unbalanced you—that is not the Jedi way, is it?" Maul taunted, and Zelina came at him from behind. Maul barely whipped around in time to hold off her double bladed attack, obviously thrown off by the suddenness and intensity of the attack.

"With you, he's perfectly justified," Zelina shot at him, slamming her elbow into Maul's cheek and knocking his blade aside. "And I admire him no less because he shows he's mortal."

Anger was still rippling inside of Obi-Wan, and Zelina knew she had to give him a few moments to stabilize himself, coming at Maul again.

"Sad that he needs a wounded child to protect him," Maul spat, punching Zelina in the side and causing pain to sing through her body, though she managed to keep upright, glaring at him as she held his lightsaber off mostly with the violet blade, getting ready.

"I'm no child," Zelina snarled, breaking her green blade free and catching Maul's lightsaber on her violet one so her green lightsaber could shoot forward and score a nasty gash along his cheek. Maul bellowed in rage, shoving her several meters away with the Force and causing her to land on her back, which caused more pain signals to zip through her mind while also knocking the wind out of her. He charged at her, and to avoid death Zelina rolled over the edge, choosing more pain from the boxes below instead. She cried out as she hit each crate on the way down, though to her gratitude Obi-Wan distracted Maul to give her time to recover and get back on her feet.

Trembling, her knees near buckling, Zelina pushed herself up as Maul kicked Obi-Wan to the ground below, right beside Ventress. Zelina limped to their side, loath of how weak she felt at the moment.

"We're outmatched," Obi-Wan admitted, taking in all three of their battered and injured states. They'd gone into this fight outmatched, but now it was even worse.

"You want to run?" Ventress asked accusingly.

"I learned from watching you," Obi-Wan returned.

"Funny," Ventress growled through clenched teeth. "The cockpit!"

Maul growled and jumped from up above.

"Now!" Obi-Wan shouted, and all three sprang into action, with Ventress holding off Maul, Obi-Wan holding off Savage, and Zelina sprinting for the cockpit doors, throwing herself inside and at the controls.

She didn't know what was happening behind her, but it sounded extremely intense with how often she heard the sound of lightsaber against lightsaber.

"Come on!" she shouted, taking over the controls. Soon, there were two more presences in the cockpit, and she heard the sound of lightsabers cutting through a door almost as soon as she heard the same door shut. "Obi-Wan, get over here and help me!"

"I'm here," he said in the next second.

"Take over that side," Zelina said, gesturing to the left while she turned to the right.

"Hurry up you two," Ventress stated, her voice strained.

"We're working on it," Obi-Wan bit back.

"Come on! Hurry!" Ventress reiterated, panic now leaking into her tone. "Now would be a good time!'

Obi-Wan slammed a fist on the console and it stopped glitching on him, giving him a chance to finish what he was doing. As soon as he had—Zelina had finished her half—the cockpit launched away, and Zelina breathed a sigh of relief as the other half of the ship steadily disappeared from behind them.

"That was cutting it a little close," Ventress growled.

"You do know it's not over," Obi-Wan asked, eyes still glued to the console as he entered coordinates.

"I know," Ventress muttered under her breath.

"They'll be after all of us now," Obi-Wan said darkly, his gaze sliding to Zelina.

She gulped.

She was totally getting a Plus-Sized Kenobi-Chewing once they were safely back at the Temple.

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

"What did you think you were doing, Zelina?"

Zelina sat quietly on her bed in the med ward, the door to her room locked shut behind them as Obi-Wan finally let out his frustration for her actions. They had dropped Ventress off at the planet of her choosing, then promptly made it back to Coruscant. It had been an awkward trip, with Obi-Wan obviously simmering but keeping his thoughts to himself until both of them were treated and healing. That was how they were now here, with Zelina being severally chided for disobeying Obi-Wan's wishes.

"You could have been killed, you nearly were!"

"You almost were too," Zelina said softly. "I felt like I had to be there, and Master Yoda agreed. In fact, I was going to stay behind like you insisted until Master Yoda basically told me to go. For all you know, that escape could have gone smoother because I was there. What if I hadn't? What if something went wrong and both you and Ventress were captured?"

"You weren't supposed to come, Zelina, Maul and Savage were going to kill you to get to me!" Obi-Wan said sharply. As odd as it was, Zelina felt touched by his words at that moment—it showed how much Obi-Wan cared, something he didn't show that often with his almost constant calm mask.

"This isn't just your battle, Obi-Wan," Zelina suddenly said with an intensity that threw even Obi-Wan off. She rose to her feet, despite how much it hurt her, coming toe to toe with him. "I am no longer a child. I can make decisions for myself, even if I'm younger than you or Anakin. I'm my own person, and Maul has just as much to do with me as he does you. I was there too, Obi-Wan, I saw what he did, and Qui-Gon was important to me too even if I hadn't known him as long. And what he did hurt you too, which only adds to my involvement. And why would the Force give me visions of Maul and warn me of him if I wasn't supposed to be involved? Yoda himself said that our paths are intertwined in this—so you can bet that wherever you go looking for Maul, I will be there too, and there is nothing you can do to stop me. I am going to support you in this, even if you're against it. I'm my own person, and I can decide what risks I will and won't take. And I say this is my fight too, and I'm not going to back down."

Obi-Wan studied her gaze, searching it for any doubt. "There's nothing I can say otherwise that will change your mind, is there?"

"Nothing at all."

"How do you think Anakin will feel about this?"

Zelina didn't even flinch. "Anakin knows that I can take care of myself. He also knows that the three of us are good at balancing each other out. In fact, I think he'd approve of myself forcing you to accept my help in this—he'd be furious you're trying to do this alone, unless you've already forgotten the entire Hardeen incident and what it was that rubbed him wrong about that besides the lying. The entire reason he was upset in the first place wasn't so much the lie as not being able to help you if you needed the help. I know Anakin better than anyone, Obi-Wan, that isn't going to change my mind."

Obi-Wan's gaze intensified before, to Zelina's relief, she saw in his eyes that he had given in. "All right...but no more popping in on me unannounced. And not when you're injured. We're going to need to keep in our best condition if we're going to take on Maul."

Zelina nodded, eyes glimmering in determination. "I wouldn't have it any other way."