C139 I’m Star-Lord (Patreon)

Later that same night, after his encounter with Carol, Peter returned to his ship for the night. As he stepped aboard, he was pleasantly surprised to find his Grandparents waiting for him. The concern etched on their faces melted away as they saw him, their relief palpable.

"Peter, how have you been? Have you eaten?" his grandmother said, her voice trembling slightly. “We've been so worried…”

Peter smiled warmly, realizing he hadn’t seen his grandparents for days now. "I’m sorry for worrying you. It's been a hectic few days with the Kree invasion and everything else, but I’m fine, really." He says, his stomach suddenly groaning. “Though It seems I haven’t eaten…”

His grandfather nodded, his eyes softening. "We know you’re doing important work, but you have to take care of yourself too, son."

"I know, Gramps," Peter reassured him. "How about we have dinner together and catch up? I can tell you everything that’s been going on lately too..."

As they began to make their way to the dining area, the door to the ship slid open, and Yoda and Windu walked in, their expressions serious. They had been searching for Peter, and their concern deepened as they found him with his grandparents.

Peter sighed inwardly, realizing that he could no longer keep his grandparents a secret from his masters. The Jedi did not allow attachments like family, and this was bound to be a complicated situation.

Trying to maintain a calm demeanor, Peter introduced his grandparents to Yoda and Windu. "Grandpa, Grandma, these are my Jedi Masters, Yoda, and Mace Windu. They trained me when I was still a Padawan."

His grandparents immediately perked up, greeting the Jedi Masters with genuine gratitude. "Thank you for taking care of our grandson when we couldn’t," his grandmother said, her eyes shining with appreciation.

Yoda and Windu responded politely, acknowledging the grandparents' gratitude with nods. However, Peter could sense they were masking their true feelings and that a stern lecture on Jedi rules and codes awaited him.

They then turned to Peter, their expressions firm. "Xavier, ready he is, to start gathering information from the Sith," Yoda informed him.

Peter was surprised. "Already? I thought he needed time to prepare."

Windu nodded. "Apparently, he didn’t need as much time as he initially thought. We’re ready to proceed."

Peter turned to his grandparents, a note of apology in his voice. "I’m sorry, but we’ll have to have dinner another time. I promise to spend time with you soon."

Though they seemed a bit saddened, his grandparents quickly masked their disappointment with smiles. "It's alright, Peter. Just promise you’ll take care of yourself and come see us soon," his grandfather said, patting Peter’s shoulder.

"Of course, Grandpa. I promise," Peter replied.

As his grandparents left, Yoda and Windu prepared to speak, but Peter cut them off, his voice firm. "I know what you’re going to say. Jedi Code, attachments, and whatever nonsense. We can discuss this later. Right now, we need to focus on what really matters—the Sith."

Reluctantly agreeing, Yoda and Windu nodded. "Where is the Sith?" Windu asked.

"Follow me," Peter said, leading them to the prison hold on his ship. There, in one of the cells, sat the limbless Darth Maul, mumbling the Sith code over and over, trying to empower himself and find a way to escape.

“Peace is a lie, there is only passion… Through passion, I gain strength… Through strength, I gain power… Through power, I gain victory…” he repeated over and over, his voice weak.

As Peter, Yoda, and Windu approached, Maul's eyes blazed with hatred. He attempted to use the Force to attack them telekinetically, but his power had weakened considerably since losing his limbs, and his attack was easily thwarted by the metal bars of his cell.

“Good morning sunshine!” Peter exclaimed happily as he opened the cell door, walking up to the prisoner without a shred of fear. “Come on, we have a surprise for you…” he smirked evilly before grabbing Maul by the shirt and dragging him out.

“Release me this instant!” Maul tried to resist, kicking and screaming, but it was futile. They dragged him out of the prison, his rage palpable in the air.

They left the ship, making their way to Professor Xavier, who was waiting to delve into the dark recesses of Maul’s mind and uncover the crucial information they needed.

…

Peter and his masters brought the thrashing and cursing Maul to Xavier’s office. Seeing the Sith’s wild struggle, Xavier sighed and used his telepathy to quickly put him to sleep. Maul’s attempts to resist the sudden and overpowering fatigue was futile as his eyes fluttered shut.

Peter smiled down at Maul, sending a shiver of fear down the Sith's spine as he said, "Nighty night. Don’t let the bed bugs bite." Maul's eyes widened momentarily before closing completely.

Yoda and Windu looked at Peter in exasperation. Yoda's ears twitched slightly, and Windu shook his head.

Peter raised an eyebrow, his smirk evident. "What?”

"Must you traumatize the prisoner like that?" Windu asked, his tone a mix of annoyance and curiosity.

“No, I don’t have to. But it sure is fun." Peter shrugged uncaringly. “Besides, he’s a Sith. He’s already traumatized…”

Xavier rolled his eyes and gestured to the table where he sat. "Put him here. We need to get started."

Peter nodded and unceremoniously dropped Maul on the table. "Okay, so how are we doing this?" he asked. He hadn’t been present when they came up with the game plan, so he needed clarification.

Xavier explained, "I’ll do as I did with Pierce and sift through his mind for information."

Windu added, "But since it’s more dangerous dealing with the mind of a Sith, all three of us will be assisting him."

Peter frowned, his curiosity piqued. "How exactly?"

Yoda answered, "Use Force Light, we will, to cleanse Xavier of any Dark Side influence as he works. Remember, you must, what I taught you."

Force Light is a technique that cleanses and weakens the Dark Side connection in oneself, others, objects, areas, nexus points—anything tainted by the Dark Side. It's a very versatile power.

Peter nodded, recalling the lessons vividly. “Okay, I’m ready when you guys are."

Xavier looked a bit more reassured but still visibly tense. "Alright. Let’s begin."

Nodding, Peter, Yoda, and Windu all circled around Xavier, placing their hands on his shoulders and back, ready to use Force Light at any moment.

Taking a deep breath, Xavier reached out and clasped his hands around Maul’s head, preparing to delve into the Sith’s mind.

As Xavier’s telepathic abilities began to penetrate Maul’s consciousness, he was immediately met with an overwhelming wave of darkness. “!?”

The Dark Side of the Force surged towards him, its malevolent presence gnawing at his conscious mind. He felt an intense pressure, as if the very essence of the Dark Side was trying to consume him.

Xavier’s heart raced as he struggled to fight against the oppressive force. The darkness seemed endless, an abyss of hate and rage that threatened to engulf him completely.

“…” His breaths became shallow, and beads of sweat formed on his brow as he did all he could to resist.

Just as he felt he was about to cry out for help, the darkness seemed to close in, tightening its grip on his mind. But suddenly, a soothing, bright light beamed down onto the darkness, burning it away and freeing Xavier from its deathly grasp.

This was the combined power of Force Light from Peter, Yoda, and Windu. The warm, radiant glow of the Light Side washed over Xavier, creating a protective barrier around his consciousness. The darkness recoiled, retreating in the face of the overwhelming purity of the Light.

Xavier’s mind cleared, the oppressive weight lifting as the Force Light continued to bathe him in its calming energy. He could feel the support of the three Jedi, their combined strength bolstering his own mental fortitude.

Reassured and strengthened by their presence, Xavier pressed on, delving deeper into Maul’s mind. The darkness still lingered, but it no longer held the same power over him. With the Force Light shielding him, he navigated through Maul’s twisted thoughts and memories, searching for the critical information they needed.

…

As Peter stood alongside Yoda and Windu, all three of their hands glowing with the power of Force Light, they watched Xavier's intense concentration. Suddenly, Peter felt a rush of the Force overwhelm him, his eyes widening in surprise. “!?”

The same sensation seemed to affect Yoda and Windu as well. In the next instant, all three found themselves standing in a completely different place, no longer in Xavier’s office aboard the Red Room.

Instead, they seemed to be on a red, rocky planet, in a shoddy village surrounded by Zabraks who looked to be from the same species as Maul, though not all of them were red in color as he was.

[Insert picture of Dathomir here]

“What the…” Peter muttered, his eyes scanning the area.

“Odd, this is…” Yoda seemed just as perturbed.

“This place reeks of the Darkside…” Windu felt increasingly uncomfortable.

At first, they were worried that the Force had transported them somewhere against their will. The surroundings were harsh and unfamiliar, and their concern grew as they tried to understand what was happening.

Then, an eerie-looking witch of a woman, draped in red robes, with an ash-white face and black tattoos, walked up in front of them. Her presence exuded a dark power in the Force, making Peter, Yoda, and Windu instinctively reach for their lightsabers. But before they could react further, the woman seemed to ignore them completely, as if they weren't even there.

[Insert picture of Mother Talzin here]

"Boy! Get over here! We have an important guest!" the woman called out.

“She can’t see us…” Peter cautiously waved his hand in front of the woman’s face.

Before Windu or Yoda could reply, to their astonishment, a small Zabrak, who bore a striking resemblance to a young Darth Maul, walked right through them as if they were ghosts. He rushed to the woman's side, his voice respectful yet eager. "Yes, Mother Talzin?"

The imposing woman gave him a stern yet nurturing look. "An important guest is here to see us, so you must be on your best behavior," she instructed, her tone leaving no room for disobedience.

She then stepped aside, and a figure in a black robe began to approach. His face was partially hidden by a hood, but the malevolent energy radiating from him was unmistakable.

‘Sith!’ Both Yoda and Windu immediately sensed the overwhelming presence of the Dark Side and instinctively drew their lightsabers, their blades igniting with a hiss.

“Oh…” Peter quickly realized what they were witnessing. This was not the present but a memory, a significant one—at least for Maul. ‘We’re inside Maul’s memories…’

The dark figure stopped in front of the young Zabrak. Despite the hood obscuring much of his face, the cold, calculating eyes of the robed man gleamed with a sinister intent.

Mother Talzin bowed her head slightly in respect. "Lord Sidious, welcome. This is my son. He has much potential."

Sidious glanced at Maul, his gaze piercing. "So, this is the boy," he said, his voice dripping with a mix of curiosity and disdain. "I sense a great anger in him. That is good. Anger will give him immense power…"

A/N: 1904 words :)