- 27 BBY -
- Lotho Minor -
SST-X9 step out of the control room and drops to the floor in front of Maul. The calculations roar through the droid's brain, thinking of taking advantage of the hours of fighting the former Darth has just gone through. SST-X9's combat style was built through studying Darth Maul's every known move and battle after he was created. He integrated all the known saber forms that Maul had programmed into his droid brain, including Ataru's agility, Makashi's precision, and Djem So's brute force. Still, he reverse-engineered specifically to exploit Maul's fighting prowess. Maul created SST-X9 to see his weaknesses and have the droid exploit them, so that he can eliminate them.
SST-X9 has undergone numerous enhancements through technological advancements and Maul's utilisation of mechu-deru. Micro-reactive implants to allow him to read muscle tension to predict attacks. Servo-assisted reflexes, to match or exceed Maul's Force-enhanced agility, despite being heavier. Magnetic feet, allowing him to anchor during acrobatic duels or terrain manipulation. Aside from that, he is equipped with an electro staff, several hidden vibroblades, and a blaster.
Maul strikes first. He leaps and twists, spinning his lightsaber and striking forward. SST-X9 parries effortlessly, redirecting every attack with precision. He doesn't attack yet and just analyses, computing the improvement Maul has achieved since their last sparring and also his physical status.
Maul switches his style and goes for the neck. SST-X9 slides under the attack, rising behind Maul in a single motion, bellying his mechanical body. He kicks Maul mid-turn, launching him into the wall that has risen from the ground. SST-X9 still controls the environment, making it harder for Maul to adapt. But Maul hasn't yet used the Force. He blocks a series of blaster fire from the droid and deflects it, standing on his feet. Using Fore speed and reinforcement, Maul tries to get to a better position, but the floor in front of him plummets down, creating a small canyon. He stops his movement and continues to block the attacks coming from the droid.
His senses alert him to danger, and he sees two rockets being launched towards him. He tries to use Force Jump to evade them, but the ceiling lowers itself, making him hit his head.
*BOOO-OOOM*
SST-X9 says as he sees the green hue of the force field, Maul uses and steps onto the scorched floor, his metal boots clanging. Maul lunges forward, his saber igniting mid-air as he charges forward. SST-X9 blocks with a vibrosword, creating sparks and blocking the immense force behind the attack. Maul spins, swinging his lightsaber and cutting low. SST-X9 jumps into the air, rocket booster-assisted, and counters with a burst from a wrist-mounted flamethrower. Maul blocks the flames using his magick, creating another force field. In response, SST-X9 activates a gravity plate beneath Maul, causing him to be slammed to the floor.
Magick, also known as Shadow Magic, Nightsister sorcery, Force Magic, or Force Sorcery, is an aspect of the Force and a supernatural technique that allows a practitioner to wield a variety of powers connected to both the Dark Side and the Light Side of the Force. The Nightsister witches of Dathomir were wielders of magick, of whom Daka was the most powerful. Currently, Maul's mother, Mother Talzin, is the most powerful practitioner alive, and from her, Maul has acquired some knowledge of magick, albeit limited. This means that he has been training himself and using his intellect to discover more and devise techniques for himself to employ.
Maul snarls and channels the Force as well as magick, and breaks free from the assault with a green energy burst. Magick usually manifests as green energies, as seen right now.
SST-X9 sees this and has already launched a missile aiming at the very spot that Maul has moved to. Maul leaps to the side, dodging the rocket with the floor exploding and sending debris around him. He will have to redo everything. SST-X9 switches back to the flamethrower and sweeps the room. He targets a wide area and uses the smoke from the explosion as a cover. But he knows that Maul will feel the danger approaching through the Force. Maul raises yet another magick shield, defending himself from the flames and focusing them by combining his force field with Tutaminis.
Maul sends the accumulated flames and energy forward, flaring towards the tactical droid and trying to attack for once. SST-X9 counters with his electro-staff and sends a jab to the worn Dathomirian's ribs. Maul catches the staff with his hand, enduring the electricity coursing through his body and twists it off, sending a powerful Force-enhanced kick into SST-X9's side. The droid jerks, spins through the air, and kicks Maul in the face.
The former Sith crashes into the wall to the side. The sound of cracking bones is heard and picked up by the tactical droid. Before he can act on this new information, though, Maul vanishes into the shadows. SST-X9 scans—optics start flickering. He moves his head to the side and scans the entire simulation room.
Maul's illusions rush forward from the darkness in which he is hiding. SST-X9 triggers a series of ionic grenade pulses, sending a wave of energy through the area and causing the illusions to evaporate in a flash. Maul is by no means a master of using illusions through magick. Still, he has understood the principle and only needs more practice, which always shoots through the roof after he has grasped the underlying concept. He dives from above, slashing his lightsaber forward. SST-X9 turns just in time, narrowly managing to half-block. The lightsaber still manages to cut through his shoulder plate, which is melted away.
SST-X9 opens fire from a slugthrower, ignoring the damage and opting for dealing equal amounts back. The slugs hit Maul's thigh, and the melted parts he does manage to block using his lightsaber impact his side. Maul grunts and sees the charging SST-X9. He aims his left hand forward and sends out Force Lightning.
*ZZZZZZZ*
The droid notes the attack and tries to dodge, but doesn't manage to do so in time. He is hit and flies through the air, landing further back on the ground. Maul uses this brief moment to apply what he has learned over the past three years of training. The green mist of magick appears and coats his torso, starting to stitch his wounds and healing him to some degree.
SST-X9, however, is already back on his feet and charges. Maul grabs a fallen column with the Force, slamming it into SST-X9's path, preventing him from coming closer. But the droid doesn't care. SST-X9 fires a rocket towards it and smashes through it, spinning into a rocket booster-powered punch. Maul ducks, sweeps SST-X9's legs from under him, and slashes downward.
SST-X9 activates a rear thruster, flips backwards, and throws two grenades forward, aiming to make Maul move forward and follow him. Maul jumps into the air instead. One grenade detonates mid-air, and Maul takes control over the other and uses the Force to prevent it from exploding. He hurls it back at SST-X9, who also jumps into the air, but that was a mistake. Maul doesn't allow the grenade to detonate under him. So when the droid, following the laws of physics, falls again, Maul wants to detonate it. However, the droid is a tactical droid and sees this as an opportunity. He activates his thrusters, keeping himself afloat. He activates the blasters on the walls again and has them fire at Maul. He calculates that while Maul is keeping the grenade from exploding and trying to make it hit SST-X9, he will have difficulty blocking all the incoming blaster fire.
And he's not wrong.
Maul swings his lightsaber around, using Form III.
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Form III, also known as Soresu, was developed in response to the widespread use of blasters across the galaxy. Earlier lightsaber forms, particularly Shii-Cho and Makashi, proved inadequate for defending against ranged attacks. Shii-Cho's broad, sweeping motions lacked the precision needed, while Makashi was too specialised in duelling to be effective against blaster fire.
Soresu emerged as a comprehensive defensive form, centred around the lightsaber's ability to deflect blaster bolts—and with mastery, reflect them back at the attackers. This capability marked a significant advancement during the era of blaster dominance, allowing Jedi to defend and counterattack simultaneously. But blaster deflection is only one aspect of Soresu. Practitioners also train rigorously to block lightsaber strikes, parry melee attacks, and withstand overwhelming numbers, all while maintaining an unshakable mental focus.
Unlike the expansive gestures of Form I, Soresu relies on tight, controlled movements and a strict economy of action. Every step, swing, and shift of stance is deliberate. Even the fighter's posture is calculated to minimise exposed areas, reducing vulnerability and simplifying defence. This discipline extends to the practitioner's entire body. Any unnecessary motion could present a fatal opening, so it has to be removed. Maul, who had fought Kenobi, although a young variant of the sassy Jedi, naturally wanted to master this lightsaber form and then take it further. He wanted to understand it, find the underlying principle, and know how he would have to deal with it in a fight.
The strength of Soresu lies not only in physical precision but in mental clarity, something that is very unlike Maul's previous state. Though agility and speed are essential, the true foundation of Form III is intellectual. Its users develop acute tactical awareness, responding to each threat with calm adaptability again, very much unlike what Maul was previous to his 'awakening'. Soresu practitioners study the rhythm of combat, recognising patterns and reacting with exacting defence. This makes Soresu especially effective against multiple opponents, allowing the practitioner to endure, observe, and counter.
While initially conceived to counter blaster fire, Form III evolved into a robust philosophy of total defence. Where Form I leaned heavily on offence and Form II faltered against numerous foes, Soresu offers a sustainable, resilient strategy for nearly any combat situation.
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Thousands of blaster shots fly through the air and target Maul, while he keeps the grenade from exploding and watches the tactical droid. He is digging deep into his reserves right now, but an imposing and maybe even mad laugh leaves his throat. It seems that he is enjoying himself. He increases the speed of his lightsaber swings further, managing to block more of the shots and sending them back at SST-X9, to keep him from doing any funny business. Each of the small laser cannons on the wall is protected by a forcefield, making it hard to destroy them. He reaches out using the Force while holding on to the grenade and tries to destroy the blasters from within. But the droid has other ideas and sends out a pulse, which activates several electrical circuits, electrocuting Maul.
He loses his focus, and suddenly, more blasts hit his body and burn his skin. The grenade finally explodes and sends a shockwave through the entire room, releasing the stored energy.
Maul crashes down hard, his chest heaving and trying to gasp for air. SST-X9 continues to be his calculative and unfeeling self, deploying magnetic mines across the floor.
Maul uses the Force to lift the mines and hurl them back. SST-X9 dives through the explosion cloud.
SST-X9 fires a net launcher. Maul slices it mid-air, causing the threads to dissolve in fire.
SST-X9 raises his arm—flamethrower and once more re-ignites, spreading fire across the room and aiming to burn Maul. But Maul dashes through the fire, coating himself with the Force, and slashes his saber in a wide arc.
The droid blocks the sabre, but Maul has used the Force to pull a vibrosword from one of the fallen droids, and this one manages to cut deep into SST-X9's abdomen. The droid acts quickly and releases a shock charge, which throws Maul backwards. The man twists in the air and manages to land on his feet, ready for the next attack.
SST-X9 pulls out a pulse cannon from his back and aims forward. Channelling the Force, Maul swings his lightsaber and uses Force Push to shatter it mid-charge. The strong push and accumulating damage cause SST-X9's systems to glitch, and sparks fly from his back. Maul plants his saber in the floor and grabs the wall using the Force. He uses all of his current power and tries to bring the wall down on top of the droid. A low rumble goes through the hall, and with a forceful pull, it finally relents, coming down on top of SST-X9.
But he is unwilling to be buried yet, and so he sweeps his metallic arm through the air with a sonic wave, pushing the debris away from him. Maul appears behind him suddenly, having shot through the air, piercing his lightsaber through the droid's shoulder. SST-X9 spins his thorax, as part of his mechanical body allows him to, grabs Maul's head as he is right in front of him, and slams him into the wall. The blow does damage to Maul's skull, cracking it.
The two fighters are absolutely mad right now. The fight started out as a 'mere' sparring, but has developed into a full-blown war, where both sides try to kill one another.
Maul kicks backwards, smashing his foot into the droid's midsection and pushing him off. Then he grips the wall, flips upward, and slashes his lightsaber at SST-X9's side. The damage caused the droid to malfunction momentarily. He doesn't block the strike and suffers a slash. SST-X9 stumbles. He vents black smoke from different parts of his body. Responding to this, he deploys rear rockets and launches forward, slashing his vibrosword through the air.
Maul sidesteps. He grabs the breaking down droid's chassis and pulls it towards him. With a quick strike, he cuts through one rocket, and the following explosion ignites the second one. SST-X9 crashes to the ground. Maul steps on the ground, moving around the wreckage that was once the simulation room, limping and channelling the Force, using magick to heal his body. SST-X9 rises again, his body is badly damaged, and his left eye flickers. Sparks fly through the air.
Maul uses the Force to levitate debris, launching it towards the droid like missiles. SST-X9 blasts apart chunks mid-air, using the last few rockets, but one impales his leg. He fires the last wrist blaster he has wildly, trying to catch the Dathomirian off guard. Maul deflects the first few, but the long fight has started to wear on him, causing some of the blasts to graze his arm. Using the last power he has available, the SST-X9 charges one final time in a burst of speed, moving forward. Maul sends out Force Lightning, hitting the droid and using the lightning to lift him into the air, and then slamming him down.
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Force lightning is a Dark Side technique that discharges electrical energy from the practitioner's hands, capable of inflicting severe pain, killing, disfiguring, or even disintegrating its target. It can also destroy physical objects, such as starships, and occasionally leave the user's hands smoking after use. In some cases, the intensity is so great that the victim's skeletal system glows visibly, even through armour. Beyond direct attacks, Force lightning can be used to stun or move targets and even parry another's use of the Force.
Several variants of the power exist. Chain lightning spreads from one target to others nearby in a wave of stunning sparks. Dark Aura, used by Darth Sidious, creates a storm of malevolent Force energy that surrounds the user, torturing and slowing the movement of all caught within it.
While traditionally associated with the Dark Side, the Baran Do Sages developed a method of using Force lightning without drawing upon darkness. Luke Skywalker regards Force lightning as the ultimate physical manifestation of the Force. And Maul has also realised this fact. He knows that Darth Sidious is particularly powerful in the use of Force Lightning. So he has started to study the ability and has found a way to use the ability without diving that deep into the Dark Side. By using pure scientific research on the Force, Maul can use Force Lightning, but is still developing how to make it more potent.
Notable uses of the Force Lightning included Darth Sidious unleashing a massive storm during the Battle of Exegol, which disabled a fleet of 14,000 ships with devastating precision while sparing his own Xyston-class Star Destroyers. Until he reaches that point, Maul will have to train a lot and study the Force more extensively.
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Maul rises, his sabre whooshing through the air in a storm of orange as he deals with the last resistance, and his tactical droid is unleashed. SST-X9 tries to rise, but Maul cleaves through his last somewhat functional arm.
SST-X9 launches a hidden blade from a compartment, trying to cut Maul across the side. Maul twists and drives his saber through the torso. The droid seizes all his functionality, sparks flare, and his limbs jerk. Maul uses Force Choke to lift him in the air and crush his core from within. He thoroughly destroys and overloads SST-X9's systems. Maul hurls the destroyed piece of junk to the ground, finally ending the fight.
The fight has taken Maul to his limits and beyond, which is why he just destroyed all the droids he used so much time to create and build. But that wasn't a problem. In theory, Maul could have left Lotho Minor a long time ago. Shortly after regaining his memories and building his legs, he could have waited for a junk dealer and stolen his ship. But he was not doing that; he was no longer interested in gaining revenge on Kenobi. It was too soon for that, and even if he could, he wasn't sure he would want that. But Maul wasn't thinking about it now. He didn't bother about that far into the future for now and focused on the present.
Presently, Maul needed to grow more powerful. Both in the Force and in lightsaber combat, and in creating a base of political power. He would sooner or later face Darth Sidious, and how he dealt with the Sith wasn't set in stone yet, but it would take a lot. So that's why Maul was using his time on Lotho Minor to learn, understand technology he could find, improve them, create new and more powerful variants and make mental notes on what he would build in the future. He was using the Essence of the Spark to understand the principles behind the Force and its applications as well.
Maul takes a deep breath, kneeling on he ground. He looks around at the destruction that happened in the simulation room. He will have to rebuild all of this... again.