There is some truth to this. If one has power, there is always a way to take it.
[It was just a matter of finding out how they would be able to do that. The beings in this place were powerful but they were not invincible and they were not gods. Maul knew if he was determined enough, they could find a way to take them down.]
Most people think the same thing about me here but they are wrong. I am sure she has a weak spot that can be exploited.
[Ventress was going to have to be a long-term goal for them. They would find a way to take her down eventually, but until then, there was an uneasy stalemate between them all. Maul wouldn't let her get away with what she'd done to his brother forever. Sooner or later, she would pay the price.
With a sigh and a grumble, Maul sat back down at the table. The rathtar squealed and made a growling sound, moving up Maul's leg using its tentacles. Finally, it was on his thigh, and he held out a gloved hand to it. Ruin immediately latched onto this new source, and indeed, began to calm down at the social contact.]
When he grows large enough, we shall have to feed some of our enemies to him. That will be a very satisfying sight.
It will take time, patience and research, brother. I don't know if the dream will hold long enough for that to happen.
[That didn't mean that they shouldn't try at least. If Maul could become even more powerful, then it would be so much easier to delve into whatever plan his brother decided upon. He expected one would be coming to fruition eventually, assuming that this place didn't mess too hard with Maul's brain again. He also had to be on tip-top shape and vigilant to be of service to his brother in a moment's notice.]
You aren't as much of a loner here as you were when we were traveling together. You have plenty of... allies. [That's what he was going to call them. Friends was too... just too much, he supposed.] She is isolated and apparently the last. An entire subsection of our race, and it has to end with her.
[He couldn't tell which of the Gods was laughing the most or playing the worst trick. Someday he would find a reason and an opportunity to sort out the mess that was his emotions surrounding her. Time would help him, he decided. Like his brother, he would be patient and wait for the right opportunity.
He had learned the value of that, and it was time that he implemented it himself. He had to delve into how he was raised and what his expectations had been should his time of come to be of use... expectations did not land as accurately as mental preparation.
Savage leaned on the counter and smirked when Maul sat and the rathtar made some gains with his brother. Yes, that kind of rough interaction was what he expected, and honestly, it probably wasn't typical rathtar behaviour. It didn't matter. It liked tentacle rubs and warm places to cling when not hunting.]
How large do you suppose he will get? He's been growing slowly thus far.
Even if this place ends, there will likely be a new one. And if we work quickly enough, we shall end up on top as we are meant to. These idiots want to form a government. Plenty of room to put myself in a position of power if they insist on trying to rule everyone else.
[Just because some of the Sleepers hated or feared him didn't mean all of them did. Plus the less savory sorts were always going to need an advocate for them against the more squeaky clean types.]
The Force must have some reason for keeping her alive but I have no idea what it is.
[Being the last of the Nightsisters, the last of their particular clan, must have had some significance he just wasn't seeing. A plan that would all come together only in hindsight as things so often did with the Force.
Maul examined the beast a little more carefully. He didn't know too much about the species but it did seem very small given how large they were known for getting.]
Perhaps he's a dwarf rathtar? If so, he might only get to the size of one of the horses or a speeder.
[Savage relaxed slightly at his brother's confidence that this dream falling apart wouldn't be the end.]
How do you suppose we will transition from one dream to something else? A government is something you can infiltrate as you did on Mandalore. It is a shame we cannot simply eliminate your enemies here, but perhaps you can out wait them?
[If the dream failed, perhaps some would not return for the next iteration. He had already decided he would do whatever it took to transition, and he had nothing to lose by doing so. He was not interested in simply returning to the dead, being little more than a distant memory.]
Perhaps it intends for you to use her as well? She is a strong Force user.
[He didn't actually know Ventress enough to expect that she would have any kind of alliance with them. He wouldn't like it, but he would tolerate it if it meant his brother's goals would be accomplished. That would also involve putting up with her usual barrage of insults, but he supposed it wasn't any worse that most of the situations he had been in. She was just far more personal.]
I didn't think rathtars came in dwarf versions. They're supposed to be massive and vicious at all times.
[He wouldn't mind a dwarf version. It might be easier to keep some level of control of. After all, it would be inconvenient if Ruin literally ate everything.]
There is a consistent thing that has been said about us 'waking up.' It has been said this whole time we've been in a dream. Perhaps this state of madness will end up with us somewhere more solid.
[He would make sure both of them would be there in this new world. If his brother wasn't there, Maul was simply refusing to go. He wasn't about to return to his galaxy either without Savage by his side. Plus most of his motivation had always been to exact revenge on Obi-Wan, so with those two here he had little reason to go home.]
Most of them thinking me to be little more than some dumb animal. We can use that to our advantage.
[If they all wanted to think of Maul as some rabid idiot who had no idea of how to restrain himself, let them. Opponents like Pre Vizsla had done so before and now they were dead. Underestimating him would only give him an advantage and end with their assured destruction.]
Perhaps you are right. She could be a powerful ally if we could convince her.
[Her skills with the Force and lightsabers couldn't be denied. If she was as lonely as Maul had been when he first arrived, he knew he could use that to their advantage. Nightkin weren't meant to be solitary creatures. Not even one as aloof as Ventress.
Maul examined the rathtar a bit dubiously, continuing to pet the tentacles. He seemed to relax and go a bit limp at the contact.]
It's either that or he's defective.
[He'd prefer to think the little one was just a runty dwarf. At least then he'd still be of use to the brothers.]
That would be good. While it feels like I have a body again, it would be better to actually regain one. And the cycle of death seems like it would be very inconvenient.
[He hadn't considered the possibility that Maul might not transition to the next stage because... well, why wouldn't he? His brother did seem awful content in this place, and it would be a shame to be rid of all of that to return to a galaxy fixated on power and control only. And technically his brother's master wasn't here, but Obi-Wan was.]
Our appearance has always lead people to consider us stupid.
[Savage was far less educated than his brother, but he understood survival and he learned quickly. He might not like reading - or be particularly strong in it - but he could struggle his way through. He was far more of a visual learner, and while there were plenty of things he didn't know, he could still crush a man's skull with his hands. So it all evened out in the end.]
...once I've had my revenge, she can be our ally. The last thing I want is her waltzing in here as she always does.
[All of 'that one time', but it was enough to boil his blood a little thinking about it. Here she was far more frequent since she couldn't just escape. He honestly should just put her head into a wall a few times and call it a day.
Savage made a soft noise of displeasure as he watched the rathtar seem to melt with the contact. He wasn't interested in defective pets, especially one that wouldn't be useful to them. Of course, so far Ruin was good about catching and eating any vermin that happened to come anywhere close to the yard.]
If he's defective, I suppose we will have to kill him.
Wherever we end up, I will make sure both of us get there.
[He wasn't sure what would happen to someone who was dead who had been brought to the dream now that it was ending but he was determined to make sure Savage would be there by his side no matter what.]
A mistake they shall learn to their great peril.
[Savage tended to have more people think of him as being just a big dumb brute than Maul did but both of them seemed to consistently end up with people thinking them to be idiots simply because they liked to fight. Maybe it was the horns? Who knew. At least it was something that they could use to their advantage.]
Of course. Revenge first, an ally second.
[His brother deserved to get his revenge on the Nightsister who had caused so much of his pain. Maul would see to it that he got it one way or another.
He glanced down at the rathtar again. It certainly didn't seem defective, just small.]
Yes, I suppose we will. [But he knew for a fact how much his brother liked his little pet, so he added on:] Still, it would be a shame to kill him before seeing if he will come into his true potential. Perhaps we should keep him alive a few more months to see what will happen.
[He nodded his head, not about to simply leave it in Maul's hands either. They worked best as a team after all. There would be no pleas for togetherness, no plans, just action. He wanted to go and if Maul wanted him there, they would see each other again if the dream finally failed.
That sort of underestimation had led to Mandalore falling under his brother's thumb. It had also set the stage for the crime syndicates to actually listen to his brother as well, since there were plenty of profits and plenty of access through such a major planet. Some had made the mistake of assuming he was too much of a brick to use his ears and eyes properly, and some of his information had helped to stamp out any insurgence. Sometimes just standing with his arms crossed looking intimidating was enough.]
A mistake we shall exploit here as we did back in our galaxy.
[Savage had learned more patience from his brother, that a good plan needed time to ferment much of the time. Then there was the go-time, and that's when he and Maul felt like they were at their best together.
He watched Ruin for a long moment, and this was his first real experience with rathtars. They weren't from Dathomir, but he had dealt with and trained vicious beasts such as rancors before. He assumed much of the behaviour and the vicious appetite for small creatures was normal, but perhaps not... the boneless heap of tentacles when petted.
If Ruin wouldn't suit their needs, he would kill the little creature and be done with it. He'd be momentarily upset about it, but he'd move on quickly.]
I suppose, yes. A few more months and we'll see how he grows and acts. I haven't been able to train him to stop sleeping on my head. [He shook his head and sighed. So maybe he came as close to liking the creature as possible.]
[With the dream beginning to conclude and something coming next, Maul was already thinking of what to do when they all were thrust into a new scenario. If it was anything like this place, there would be a large struggle for survival. But that was nothing new for Maul. What concerned him more was his ever-lasting quest for power.
There had been talk of forming a government here and Maul wanted to worm his way into that. Some would staunchly disagree on letting him have any say but there were plenty of ways around that. He would be in his rightful place at the top of the heap no matter what. Of that he was certain.
He would make sure Savage was with him as always. As he’d learned, power was a poor substitute for the love and loyalty of family. His brother would be right there beside him, ready to help him take power the way they’d had on Mandalore and when forming the crime syndicate.
The little creature seemed to have fallen fast asleep, though Maul wasn’t entirely certain seeing as how it didn’t have anything in the way of eyes. He eased it off and deposited it gently on a pile of bandages that were still on the table. It made a soft happy noise but otherwise didn’t move.
Maul hid the smile at his brother’s begrudging desire to keep Ruin alive. He knew Savage had grown fond of the little creature even if he would never say so out loud.]
Even if he only grows as big as one of the horses, he will still be of great use. We can dispose of our enemies by feeding them to him.
[He wasn't so keen on a government, but he also hadn't been around long enough to understand how the complete lack of it and the monthly drama that came from the dream might actually benefit from a seat of power. He also knew that power could be exploited if this place was in such flux, but he would do whatever was necessary to see his brother rise to power in the next iteration.
He watched Maul put the baby rathtar down in a heap of bandages, and yeah, that's pretty much what Ruin was like when soothed to sleep. He watched the little creature for a moment before focusing again on his brother so it wouldn't seem like he was that fond of the ravenous beast.]
It's true. If he can fit it in his mouth, he will consume it. Once he's full grown, that will be any and all of your enemies.
[He had no doubt that the squirrel and lizard population would be decimated by then. He reached out and punched his brother playfully in the shoulder.]
You need to stop getting hurt. You're better than that. Come, I have a new Lego.
We shall have to put that to the test once he has become full grown.
[The idea of tossing one of the nuisances that kept plaguing him in this place right into the open maw of a rathtar sounded like it would be a gloriously satisfying experience.]
Next time, I'll be sure to take you with me. Then I know I won't get hurt.
[He stood up after Savage punched him, leaving Ruin to snooze on the table. He grinned, excited by the thought of putting together another figurine made of the Legos.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ninetydegrees
(no subject)
[It was just a matter of finding out how they would be able to do that. The beings in this place were powerful but they were not invincible and they were not gods. Maul knew if he was determined enough, they could find a way to take them down.]
Most people think the same thing about me here but they are wrong. I am sure she has a weak spot that can be exploited.
[Ventress was going to have to be a long-term goal for them. They would find a way to take her down eventually, but until then, there was an uneasy stalemate between them all. Maul wouldn't let her get away with what she'd done to his brother forever. Sooner or later, she would pay the price.
With a sigh and a grumble, Maul sat back down at the table. The rathtar squealed and made a growling sound, moving up Maul's leg using its tentacles. Finally, it was on his thigh, and he held out a gloved hand to it. Ruin immediately latched onto this new source, and indeed, began to calm down at the social contact.]
When he grows large enough, we shall have to feed some of our enemies to him. That will be a very satisfying sight.
(no subject)
[That didn't mean that they shouldn't try at least. If Maul could become even more powerful, then it would be so much easier to delve into whatever plan his brother decided upon. He expected one would be coming to fruition eventually, assuming that this place didn't mess too hard with Maul's brain again. He also had to be on tip-top shape and vigilant to be of service to his brother in a moment's notice.]
You aren't as much of a loner here as you were when we were traveling together. You have plenty of... allies. [That's what he was going to call them. Friends was too... just too much, he supposed.] She is isolated and apparently the last. An entire subsection of our race, and it has to end with her.
[He couldn't tell which of the Gods was laughing the most or playing the worst trick. Someday he would find a reason and an opportunity to sort out the mess that was his emotions surrounding her. Time would help him, he decided. Like his brother, he would be patient and wait for the right opportunity.
He had learned the value of that, and it was time that he implemented it himself. He had to delve into how he was raised and what his expectations had been should his time of come to be of use... expectations did not land as accurately as mental preparation.
Savage leaned on the counter and smirked when Maul sat and the rathtar made some gains with his brother. Yes, that kind of rough interaction was what he expected, and honestly, it probably wasn't typical rathtar behaviour. It didn't matter. It liked tentacle rubs and warm places to cling when not hunting.]
How large do you suppose he will get? He's been growing slowly thus far.
(no subject)
[Just because some of the Sleepers hated or feared him didn't mean all of them did. Plus the less savory sorts were always going to need an advocate for them against the more squeaky clean types.]
The Force must have some reason for keeping her alive but I have no idea what it is.
[Being the last of the Nightsisters, the last of their particular clan, must have had some significance he just wasn't seeing. A plan that would all come together only in hindsight as things so often did with the Force.
Maul examined the beast a little more carefully. He didn't know too much about the species but it did seem very small given how large they were known for getting.]
Perhaps he's a dwarf rathtar? If so, he might only get to the size of one of the horses or a speeder.
(no subject)
How do you suppose we will transition from one dream to something else? A government is something you can infiltrate as you did on Mandalore. It is a shame we cannot simply eliminate your enemies here, but perhaps you can out wait them?
[If the dream failed, perhaps some would not return for the next iteration. He had already decided he would do whatever it took to transition, and he had nothing to lose by doing so. He was not interested in simply returning to the dead, being little more than a distant memory.]
Perhaps it intends for you to use her as well? She is a strong Force user.
[He didn't actually know Ventress enough to expect that she would have any kind of alliance with them. He wouldn't like it, but he would tolerate it if it meant his brother's goals would be accomplished. That would also involve putting up with her usual barrage of insults, but he supposed it wasn't any worse that most of the situations he had been in. She was just far more personal.]
I didn't think rathtars came in dwarf versions. They're supposed to be massive and vicious at all times.
[He wouldn't mind a dwarf version. It might be easier to keep some level of control of. After all, it would be inconvenient if Ruin literally ate everything.]
(no subject)
[He would make sure both of them would be there in this new world. If his brother wasn't there, Maul was simply refusing to go. He wasn't about to return to his galaxy either without Savage by his side. Plus most of his motivation had always been to exact revenge on Obi-Wan, so with those two here he had little reason to go home.]
Most of them thinking me to be little more than some dumb animal. We can use that to our advantage.
[If they all wanted to think of Maul as some rabid idiot who had no idea of how to restrain himself, let them. Opponents like Pre Vizsla had done so before and now they were dead. Underestimating him would only give him an advantage and end with their assured destruction.]
Perhaps you are right. She could be a powerful ally if we could convince her.
[Her skills with the Force and lightsabers couldn't be denied. If she was as lonely as Maul had been when he first arrived, he knew he could use that to their advantage. Nightkin weren't meant to be solitary creatures. Not even one as aloof as Ventress.
Maul examined the rathtar a bit dubiously, continuing to pet the tentacles. He seemed to relax and go a bit limp at the contact.]
It's either that or he's defective.
[He'd prefer to think the little one was just a runty dwarf. At least then he'd still be of use to the brothers.]
(no subject)
[He hadn't considered the possibility that Maul might not transition to the next stage because... well, why wouldn't he? His brother did seem awful content in this place, and it would be a shame to be rid of all of that to return to a galaxy fixated on power and control only. And technically his brother's master wasn't here, but Obi-Wan was.]
Our appearance has always lead people to consider us stupid.
[Savage was far less educated than his brother, but he understood survival and he learned quickly. He might not like reading - or be particularly strong in it - but he could struggle his way through. He was far more of a visual learner, and while there were plenty of things he didn't know, he could still crush a man's skull with his hands. So it all evened out in the end.]
...once I've had my revenge, she can be our ally. The last thing I want is her waltzing in here as she always does.
[All of 'that one time', but it was enough to boil his blood a little thinking about it. Here she was far more frequent since she couldn't just escape. He honestly should just put her head into a wall a few times and call it a day.
Savage made a soft noise of displeasure as he watched the rathtar seem to melt with the contact. He wasn't interested in defective pets, especially one that wouldn't be useful to them. Of course, so far Ruin was good about catching and eating any vermin that happened to come anywhere close to the yard.]
If he's defective, I suppose we will have to kill him.
(no subject)
[He wasn't sure what would happen to someone who was dead who had been brought to the dream now that it was ending but he was determined to make sure Savage would be there by his side no matter what.]
A mistake they shall learn to their great peril.
[Savage tended to have more people think of him as being just a big dumb brute than Maul did but both of them seemed to consistently end up with people thinking them to be idiots simply because they liked to fight. Maybe it was the horns? Who knew. At least it was something that they could use to their advantage.]
Of course. Revenge first, an ally second.
[His brother deserved to get his revenge on the Nightsister who had caused so much of his pain. Maul would see to it that he got it one way or another.
He glanced down at the rathtar again. It certainly didn't seem defective, just small.]
Yes, I suppose we will. [But he knew for a fact how much his brother liked his little pet, so he added on:] Still, it would be a shame to kill him before seeing if he will come into his true potential. Perhaps we should keep him alive a few more months to see what will happen.
(no subject)
That sort of underestimation had led to Mandalore falling under his brother's thumb. It had also set the stage for the crime syndicates to actually listen to his brother as well, since there were plenty of profits and plenty of access through such a major planet. Some had made the mistake of assuming he was too much of a brick to use his ears and eyes properly, and some of his information had helped to stamp out any insurgence. Sometimes just standing with his arms crossed looking intimidating was enough.]
A mistake we shall exploit here as we did back in our galaxy.
[Savage had learned more patience from his brother, that a good plan needed time to ferment much of the time. Then there was the go-time, and that's when he and Maul felt like they were at their best together.
He watched Ruin for a long moment, and this was his first real experience with rathtars. They weren't from Dathomir, but he had dealt with and trained vicious beasts such as rancors before. He assumed much of the behaviour and the vicious appetite for small creatures was normal, but perhaps not... the boneless heap of tentacles when petted.
If Ruin wouldn't suit their needs, he would kill the little creature and be done with it. He'd be momentarily upset about it, but he'd move on quickly.]
I suppose, yes. A few more months and we'll see how he grows and acts. I haven't been able to train him to stop sleeping on my head. [He shook his head and sighed. So maybe he came as close to liking the creature as possible.]
(no subject)
There had been talk of forming a government here and Maul wanted to worm his way into that. Some would staunchly disagree on letting him have any say but there were plenty of ways around that. He would be in his rightful place at the top of the heap no matter what. Of that he was certain.
He would make sure Savage was with him as always. As he’d learned, power was a poor substitute for the love and loyalty of family. His brother would be right there beside him, ready to help him take power the way they’d had on Mandalore and when forming the crime syndicate.
The little creature seemed to have fallen fast asleep, though Maul wasn’t entirely certain seeing as how it didn’t have anything in the way of eyes. He eased it off and deposited it gently on a pile of bandages that were still on the table. It made a soft happy noise but otherwise didn’t move.
Maul hid the smile at his brother’s begrudging desire to keep Ruin alive. He knew Savage had grown fond of the little creature even if he would never say so out loud.]
Even if he only grows as big as one of the horses, he will still be of great use. We can dispose of our enemies by feeding them to him.
(no subject)
He watched Maul put the baby rathtar down in a heap of bandages, and yeah, that's pretty much what Ruin was like when soothed to sleep. He watched the little creature for a moment before focusing again on his brother so it wouldn't seem like he was that fond of the ravenous beast.]
It's true. If he can fit it in his mouth, he will consume it. Once he's full grown, that will be any and all of your enemies.
[He had no doubt that the squirrel and lizard population would be decimated by then. He reached out and punched his brother playfully in the shoulder.]
You need to stop getting hurt. You're better than that. Come, I have a new Lego.
(no subject)
[The idea of tossing one of the nuisances that kept plaguing him in this place right into the open maw of a rathtar sounded like it would be a gloriously satisfying experience.]
Next time, I'll be sure to take you with me. Then I know I won't get hurt.
[He stood up after Savage punched him, leaving Ruin to snooze on the table. He grinned, excited by the thought of putting together another figurine made of the Legos.]