Kaden choked, shooting awake with a lurch of panic. She had had the strangest dream; she had spoken to Obi Wan, just for a moment, hardly remembering a thing. Of course, it hadn't actually happened. Assuming her mind was at its least trustworthy state, Kaden pushed the possibility of it's reality away. More prominently, Kaden hoped with all her heart the force connection wasn't real.

Unlike her cell in the past, within the bunkers of the separatist army, Kaden was being kept in a space wide open on Dathomir, the view of the dingy planet clear in front of her. Her hands and feet were chained to the ground, a feat seemingly easy for a former Jedi to conquer. Alas, the bondage she had attached to her wasn't that simple; the chains would send jolts of electricity through her at even the slightest movement, more severe depending on her actions.

She had learned this the hard way.

"Good morning, young one," Maul laughed, approaching her spot on the planet, "I'm so glad you've been appreciating the hospitality. Don't worry, your friend will be here soon to save you."

"He won't," Kaden spat, as jolts shot through her, causing her to yelp. Chuckling, Maul approached her, lifting her chin up to look at him. Kaden did so unwillingly, but unable to hide her disgust.

"Oh, my young apprentice," he laughed, "Do you not remember speaking to him?" She glanced at him, panic shooting through her. Confirming her worries, Maul smirked, and patted Kaden's head. "He'll be here soon, I'd imagine," he cooed, "We'll make sure you're not loud enough to spoil the whole operation."

With that comment, Kaden felt another gust of pain, the jolt too extreme to even emit a sound from her. Instead, her head fell immediately to unconsciousness.

O[\\\\\\(O):::<=======================

Wake up. Less than half conscious, Kaden's eyes were heavy and closed. It must have been hours, her body aching like it had been slumped on the floor for more time than comfortable. Something in her kept urging her to wake up, and be present, but she pushed the idea away, Kaden's weakness overcoming her. It only took a couple moments longer to realize that the idea wasn't coming from her own head.

"Darling, wake up," Obi Wan's soft, urgent voice became cognitive for Kaden, her eyes opening slowly and weakly. "Kaden," he breathed, relieved to see her awake.

"Obi Wan?" She spoke quietly, trying to gather herself to become aware. Was what she was seeing real? Coming slightly into her senses, Kaden felt Obi Wan's arms around her, supporting her shoulders as he held her up. This was real. "Obi Wan, why are you here?!" Kaden was freaking out, her whole body beginning to shake. Spotting his ship across the open lands of Dathomir, she shuttered. "You need to leave, now." Obi Wan held her arms away from her chains, ignoring her warnings, and igniting his saber to break the bondage that held her there. "Obi Wan-,"

He was speechless, out of breath by his relief to see Kaden alive. He had many unpleasant thoughts on his way to Dathomir, many unpleasant expectations for what to expect from Maul. Determined to ruin Obi Wan, Maul was willing to go to the darkest of places. Bringing Kaden's forehead to his lips, he held her close to him, trying to catch his breath.

As he focused his mind, Obi Wan held her close, his hand placed gently on her back. As he breathed, he felt his force energy leave him willingly, sending whatever healing energy he could to Kaden. She gasped as the energy entered her, filling her with awareness, strength, and healing.

Kaden pushed him off of her, backing away from his hold. Her eyes looked hurt, despite her deliriousness from the pain. "Don't do that," she muttered, sounding much more put together than she had been only moments ago. "You were extremely foolish to come here."

"I didn't have a choice."

"Of course not," Kaden grumbled, "I bet the council sent you, did they not? Otherwise, why would you be here?"

"To help you," Obi Wan yelled.

"So the council didn't send you?"

Obi Wan paused, not wanting to admit it, "Kaden, you know it's more complicated than that."

Though foolish, both of them had become too angry to truly focus on their situation.

Suddenly, Kaden was flooded with memories, recalling the conversation she had shared with Obi Wan just the night before, when their force connections had collided. Every bit of the occurrence became clear to her, and she shook her head, trying to come to terms with it. "You mind tricked me? Are you serious?"

"You can't be angry with me right now," Obi Wan was in disbelief, "I did what I needed to, to find you."

"I didn't want you to find me."

"Whether or not you wanted it, I needed to."

"Right!" Kaden yelled, her anger and disbelief leading her words, "Because of the council."

"No, not because of the council," Obi Wan yelled back. "Because I was worried for you."

"Worried for me?" Kaden laughed, "It didn't feel that way when you sided with them after I saved your life." The two stood feet away from another on the hard rock ground of Dathomir, the air silent and stale despite the swampy environment.

"You had turned to the dark side!" he yelled, "How was I supposed to support that in front of them? In front of you?"

"Back on Ilum," Kaden started, clearly hurt, "You suggested we run away, leave the Jedi Order. Just us." The wind on Dathomir was blowing violently, whipping Kaden's hair behind her head like a wave.

"And then you left! While I was sleeping." Obi Wan shot back.

Kaden couldn't think of something acceptable to say after Obi Wan's comeback. Instead, she huffed, feeling empty without her saber clipped to her belt. They stood quietly, their anger rendering them speechless. As foolish as it was, not one of them had Maul on their mind.

As if the silence had cued him, Maul approached Obi Wan and Kaden from a distance, standing before them with a satisfied smirk. Shadows of dathomirian trees skirted over half of his face, only a portion of his eerie smile visible to the eye. Chuckling, he startled them both, as they turned to face him, Obi Wan igniting his saber. "How amusing," Maul started, still chuckling, "I was beginning to think that Kaden might get to you before I got the chance, Kenobi."

"Very funny," Obi Wan remarked. Maul's eyes focused on Kaden, who stood weaponless, and yet, ready to fight.

"You minx," Maul smirked at her, suddenly holding out his arm towards Kaden, his hand flexed and his mind focused from his anger. Instantly, Kaden lurched forward into the air and against her will, floating through the air till Maul pulled her to the ground in front of him. Spinning around, he held the edge of his saber's hilt to her neck, his finger ready on the ignition's button.

Obi Wan lurched forward, but was shoved back by Maul. "You've become stronger, my old friend," Maul remarked, his brows raising, "But not strong enough."

"If you truly were so admirable, you'd think you'd still have your own legs."

Maul grimaced, his anger festering. Kaden felt his lightsaber's hilt tighten against her neck, but she kept her eyes fixed on Obi Wan. He tried his best to remain calm, his wit showing through even his darkest of thoughts. "You know, I had many years to think about the best way to get my revenge," Maul started, "And it wasn't exactly by killing you. No, it was something much deeper than life itself." Glancing across the space to his enemy, Maul felt pride fill him when he saw the hidden terror behind Obi Wans' eyes, before he acted.

Maul glanced across the space to his brother, Savage Opress, who had been in the shadows just behind Obi Wan. Giving him a nod, Savage made his way behind Obi Wan, knocking his saber from his hand, and holding his arms behind his back, barely phased by Obi Wan's retaliation.

Obi Wan struggled in Savage's hold, but was shoved down to his knees, him and Kaden upon the same level. The hilt of Maul saber was cold on her skin, her eyes hurt and pained.

"You're going to watch her die, Kenobi," Maul laughed, and below him, Kaden did something quite unexpected; she laughed.

"You've got to be kidding me!" She exclaimed, "How many times is this going to happen to us?" She called over to Obi Wan, and then looked up at Maul, shrugging, "You'd be surprised how many times this has already happened to us. We're kind of great at this whole thing now." Spinning from under her, Kaden retreated from the hold, and kicked Maul back as she grabbed his saber, igniting it's one blade. She'd use both sides, but Kaden had no experience with a dual bladed weapon. It was best to stick with her gut.

Savage stepped back with hesitation, panicked by Kaden's unexpected escape from his master's grasp. In his moment of weakness, Obi Wan spotted Kaden's lightsaber, force pulling it to himself. The saber ignited in his hands, it's red light bouncing off of his tan robes. Savage revealed his own duel bladed saber, as he threw Obi Wan's towards his brother.

Backing up against one another, Kaden and Obi Wan rediied themselves, taking a break. "I have to say, I expected much worse," Obi Wan admitted to her with a mumble. Kaden shrugged from the other side of him.

"Like I said," she started, "This is kind of our gig."

"I can't argue with that," Obi Wan admitted.

"Will you both shut up," Savage growled, his anger clear and monstrous, just like his appearance.

"Gladly," Obi Wan admitted, and lunged. On his cue, the duel began. On the other side of him Kaden lunged for the blue-saber-wielding Maul, a strange sight. She fought the way a snake moves, swiftly and unexpectedly, each of her lunges a surprise to Maul, but it wasn't quite enough to throw him off. Their sabers clashed with force and anger.

Kaden was always thought to keep her anger away, but now, it had completely unleashed itself. She growled as she spun in the air over Maul, attempting to strike him down from behind. "You're quite talented," he remarked, after their sabers clashed, "It's a shame you have such poor taste in company."

"It's a shame you've embraced such a pathetic lifestyle."

Maul laughed, "You're saber- the one in Kenobi's hands... what color is it?" The question, of course, was rhetorical. Kaden winced, looking back at Maul with her brows furrowed. "We're no different, Kaden."

"How dare you-," Kaden started, but then felt herself flying through the air, landing on the ground feet from Maul with a painful thud. Across the floor, she became aware of an unconscious Savage Opress, and a determined Obi Wan running towards Maul. He had force pushed her away.

It was an usual sight, seeing Maul with Obi Wan's saber, and seeing Obi Wan wield a weapon with such dark energy. Kaden was amused and dazed, but didn't allow the unusual sight from distracting her and preventing her from joining.

Getting to her feet, she ran towards them, getting ready to join.

"Don't push me away again," she yelled at Obi Wan, as her saber clashed with Mauls. The three fought around one another like tangled string, a mess too confusing to visually comprehend.

"Just a safety precaution, darling." Maul seemed disgusted by their banter, as he tried to focus on their two sabers coming at him from different directions.

"Throwing me across the air is definitely a good way to ensure my safety."

"Desperate times-,"

"I can handle it myself."

"Just like you handled the council room quite well."

"Will you-," Maul chimed in, "stop bickering." Obi Wan and Kaden raised their brows, surprised by their unusual circumstance. The conversation fell, as their fight continued seamlessly.

Kaden focused hard, the one blade becoming too comfortable in her hands. Then, in the height of her confidence, she ignited the double side to the hilt, and rammed it through Maul's mechanical legs.

In shock, Maul fell to the ground, the metal that held his limbs together melted, crumbled. Kaden sent him back with a strong push, Maul's head making contact with a rock behind him, knocking him out cold, like his brother.

Obi Wan handed Kaden her lightsaber as he dropped his, and summoned his own to his hands. "Come on," he told her, as they rushed to his ship.

They had much to talk about.