Chapter 325 - Darth Maul

Having felt the strong disturbance in the Force, Ragout was already prepared to fight a strong Sith. As such, when they opened the hangar's doors, and saw two dozen criminals stealing their weapons and vehicles, he ignored them.

Leaving Hell Squad and the other clones to deal with the outlaws, he closed his eyes to try and sense where the Sith was. However, he felt nothing. The Force was as calm as a still lake.

Opening his eyes, he scanned the storage bay. Containers created all sorts of shadows on which the Sith could be lurking. However, Ragout knew that if he was the one setting up the ambush, there was only one place he would attack from.

Already turning on his lightsaber, he looked up just in time to block a red light. With his other hand, he pushed the unknown assailant away. However, instead of crashing on the ground as Ragout had expected, the Sith turned midair, and used his legs to grab the side of a container, leaving deep claw marks.

"Kakaka... Interesting, very interesting. Jedi Master Ragout, right?"

Jumping down, the Sith waved his lightsaber at Ragout, a murderous glint on his eyes. The Jedi, however, only took a step back, and dodged.

"Yes. And you must be the leader of the Shadow Collective, Darth Maul."

"Kakakaka... Correct, puny Jedi."

Now in the light, Ragout could see that Darth Maul was exactly as the reports described him. A thin but muscular Zabrak, with black and red skin. The crown of bone thorns characteristic of his species was especially big in him, and his eyes were bloodshot. However, what caught the eye about him wasn't any of that, but his lower half. The entirety of it, not just his legs, was an enormous mechanical abomination, which made him seem much taller than he actually was. His silver legs ended in clawed feet, and, based on what Ragout had already witnessed, they weren't any less lethal than his red lightsaber.

"Stealing from the Grand Army of the Republic is an offense punishable by death, Maul. Your big plans of controlling the galaxy's underworld won't be worth it if you aren't alive to see them bear fruit."

"Pretty words, Jedi, but useless. I will take what I need, and you can't stop me."

"Good. You killed some of my friends, not long ago. I will honor their memory by bringing you down."

"Kakaka! A Jedi that embraces revenge! You would make a good Sith, young one."

Darth Maul was still laughing when he saw Ragout disappear before his eyes. Almost faster than he could react, a green lightsaber was already smashing down on his head. Barely deflecting it, he found himself locked in a struggle with the Togruta, each one using all their strength to push their weapons into the other.

He was surprised by the coldness on Ragout's eyes. There was no sign of anger in it, only determination to kill or capture him. If there was any desire for revenge, as he initially thought, it was hidden deep.

Luckily for him, Darth Maul had done his research before making his move. Having almost been killed by a Jedi before, he was much more cautious than his younger self. His arrogance was still there, but his sharp thinking was in control.

He knew that the Jedi before him, although young, was almost as powerful and skilled as the members of the Jedi Council. Even Count Dooku, the Separatist leader, had to run from him.

"You know who gave me those legs, Jedi?"

"Does it matter?"

"Kaka... You are bold, I will give you that. It was Obi-Wan Kenobi. When you see him, tell him that a ghost from the past is coming for him, and that I will see him cry before me like he did when I killed his master!"

"You can tell him yourself, while you are being judged, Maul. You won't be leaving today."

"You are too young to face me, Jedi. Kakaka! Now that I think of it, you won't be able to tell Kenobi anything."

Having said that, Darth Maul pressed a button on his lightsaber, and another red blade appeared on the other side of it. He took a step back, hoping to destroy Ragout's balance, and impale the Togruta, but was surprised to find that he had dodged already.

After discovering that his old enemy was alive, General Kenobi had been quick to tell the Jedi Council everything he knew about him. His weirdly shaped, double-bladed lightsaber was what he put the most emphasis on.

And so, having carefully read all the reports, Ragout was prepared for the moment Darth Maul released his second blade. Crouching under it, he brought his own lightsaber up, forcing the Sith to hastily retreat. Before he could regain his balance, Ragout was already pouncing on him again.

"Grr... Die, Jedi dog!"

Swinging his lightsaber faster than it was humanly possible, Darth Maul used both sides of it to attack, trying to pierce, cut, and sever the Jedi. Ragout was forced to change his aggressive attack to a defensive posture. If he was alone, he would have to fight for a long time. Fortunately, he wasn't alone.

Sensing danger, Darth Maul disengaged from Ragout, and deflected three lasers without even looking at what he was doing.

Growling like an enraged beast, he turned around to find that all his underlings were either dead or had been captured. The clones that he never even considered as a threat were now surrounding him.

"Grr..."

He looked around, waiting for them to fire again, but one of them, the one with one horn painted on his helmet, signaled for them to hold their fire. Stunned, Darth Maul realized that he felt... Danger. He, a powerful Sith, threatened by the presence of a mere clone.

That thought angered him. He wouldn't underestimate a Jedi, not again. But clones were just toys for him. Weaklings.

"General Ragout?"

"Open fire."

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After shooting the last criminal in the leg, Dageer turned around to watch the fight between the two Force users. It was too fast for clones to intervene normally, but, when he saw that Darth Maul had jumped back, he pressed the trigger three times.

Unsurprisingly, the Sith deflected the lasers, and Dageer ordered his men to hold their fire. He didn't want them to die to their own reflected lasers.

"General Ragout?"

"Open fire."

Without taking his eyes off Darth Maul, Dageer asked for orders. When he told them to attack, Dageer knew they were nothing more than a distraction.

As soon as the first lasers started flying towards him, Darth Maul used his double-bladed lightsaber to defend against them. Two troopers fell near Dageer, one hit on the shoulder, and the other deadly quiet.

Before he could cause more damage, however, Ragout was already on top of him, swinging his lightsaber. To dodge the strike, the Sith had to let himself be hit by a laser on his left thigh. If it was anyone else, it would have been enough to half their combat capabilities, but not this abomination's.

Ignoring the laser, that barely left a scorched spot, Darth Maul kicked Ragout, sending the Togruta flying, and slashed a clone, almost cutting him in half.