I arrive at Coruscant at night. When I come out of hypers.p.a.ce, the light of the planet dazzles my eyes like an impossibly bright star. At night it glows from the millions of lights that bounce off the atmosphere. Some say it is the most beautiful sight in the galaxy.

I do not know, or care, about beauty. Apprehension fizzes in my blood. There is nothing in the galaxy to compare to my Master when he is displeased.

I dock my ship in the landing bay. The entrance panel slides closed. To outsiders it looks like a sheer wall. I complete my arrival checks. When I realize that I am delaying, I wrench my mind into the proper form for a Sith Lord. We do not delay. We do not feel dread.

I head straight for my Master. He sits in the middle of an empty room, the place where he plans and meditates. There is nothing in the room to distract him. Even the door slides closed and becomes invisible.

I relate what happened. How I raced to find the Jedi, how I was close to defeating him, how he leaped onto the ramp of the ship.

My Master is wearing his hood, so I cannot see his eyes. I rely on his mouth and skin tone to tell me if he's angry, but I see no change.

"You feel you would have defeated this Jedi?" he asks.

"Yes, Master. I felt him tire. I can defeat him. "

"Was he bearded?"

I nod.

"Good. That is Qui-Gon Jinn. He is the stronger of the two. "

My Master seems satisfied. This puzzles me. Surely he is furious at me for allowing the Jedi to escape.

I venture my guess that the Jedi and the Queen will come to Coruscant. What else can she do? She is young and looks to authority. She will be naive enough to think that the Senate can help her. I am pleased with my deduction, but it does not seem to interest my Master.

He waves his hand and tells me that she is already here.

She is close by, staying in the Senatorial quarters.

I stiffen. "And the Jedi?"

They are on Coruscant as well.

My hand goes to the hilt of my lightsaber. My enemy is near. A burning begins in my chest and spreads outward.

"Let me kill them, Master. "

"Not here, " he says. He seems preoccupied, as though I am not even in the room. "I have another plan. "

While in my Master's presence, I was relieved at my lack of punishment. Obviously, his mind is on other things.

But as soon as I am alone, I wonder. Is my Master reviving an old method used when I was young, delaying punishment until my nerves are screaming? I never knew when my punishment would come, or what it would be. Then when it came, I would almost feel relief.

But never for long. As soon as the punishment began, relief was but a memory. I am too old now to be frightened by a roomful of d.i.n.kos, but I never underestimate my Master's ingenuity.

Did he know of my battle with the pirates, my foolish decision to follow those bantha tracks? Did he sense my leg wound? Both of these episodes put me in danger and slowed me down. Is he waiting until I am complacent to fling my mistakes in my face?

Think of the now, Maul. Think of the future. Do not meditate on the past.

I must use my shame. I must turn it inward to make the darkness in me grow. My shame will feed my hatred. That will make me stronger, and when I meet my enemy again, I will be ready.

And now my enemy has a name. Qui-Gon Jinn.

In the past I never cared about the name of my enemy. My enemy was a target, nothing more. Knowing his name for any other purpose than tracking was valueless.

But I am glad now to be able to name my enemy. Qui-Gon Jinn. I repeat the name to myself with hatred in every syllable, chant it like a curse.

I will destroy you, Qui-Gon Jinn. I will see the shock in your eyes when I run you through, Qui-Gon Jinn. I will stand over your dead body in triumph, Qui-Gon Jinn.

Because of you, I have failed my Master.

You will pay.

My Master calls me to him and tells me that Queen Amidala has attempted to bring the Senate to her cause, just as we expected. She has asked them to outlaw the Trade Federation blockade of Naboo. She has failed, just as we expected.

He chortles with triumph, in the best mood I've ever seen him. It is a satisfying thing, he says, when every piece of your plan falls into place, thanks to your guile and the stupid, unknowing cooperation of your p.a.w.ns.

I feel relief. My Master doesn't know about my leg wound, about the Togorian pirates. He is vibrating with triumph, ready to take the next step. My mistakes don't matter. Unless he is distracted by good news and will turn on me later...

"She is going back to Naboo, " he says harshly. "Foolish girl. The Jedi accompany her. " He smiles. "Come. Let us contact the Neimoidians and share the good news. "

He dons his robe and hood and activates the holocomm. Nute Gunray responds almost immediately. His eyes are fearful as he glimpses Darth Sidious. I stay out of sight.

My Master tells Nute that the Queen is on her way back to Naboo. Nute is surprised, but he does not fear her arrival.

"When she gets there, destroy her, " my Master says.

Nute nods. This is not hard for him to accomplish. He has troops and guards and a.s.sa.s.sin droids. He won't have to dirty his hands.

Lord Sidious asks if the planet is secure. Nute rushes to a.s.sure him that it is. The Trade Federation has taken over the last pocket of primitives. They are in complete control.

I wait, hoping, knowing what my Master will say. It is my time. He needs me now. I must redeem myself. He must give me the chance to bring down Qui-Gon Jinn.

"I am sending Darth Maul to join you. He will deal with the Jedi. "

I see Nute swallow. He darts a quick look at Rune. They are not pleased at the thought of my company.

But they nod and pretend that they are.

The screen goes black. My Master laughs.

"Soon the Neimoidians will no longer be useful to us, " he says. "What a happy day that will be. "

He turns. His eyes command me. "Make sure the Neimoidians take care of Queen Amidala. You yourself must destroy the Jedi. Do not fail me again. "

Entry Eleven

Terror rises off Nute Gunray and Rune Haako like steam. I intimidate them without saying a word. It is clear the minute I arrive on Naboo. Is it my ritual tattoos, my silence, my eyes? All I have to do is look in their direction and they scurry away.

So I look in their direction often.

I find on my arrival that Nute and Rune have settled into the Theed palace as though it had been built just for them. Nute has taken over Queen Amidala's private bedroom. They think that they will be rewarded for their loyalty with the control of Naboo.

It is true that the Neimoidians are still useful to us. But it's also important for our lackeys to know who is really in charge.

So on the morning I arrive, I stride into the Queen's bedroom, where Nute snoozes on her sleep-couch, covered by a blanket woven of soft shimmersilk. I yank off the coverlet and kick him. Hard.

He wakes in a panic. "Are they invading?"

What a fool he is. Disgusted, I tell him to clear out.

"These are now my quarters, " I say.

His eyes dart in fear. He tries at the last moment to take the shimmersilk cover, but I grab it from his hands. It tears in half, and I note the dismay on Nute's face. I rend it further just to scare him. Then I fling the pieces in his face.

"Send someone to remove the traces of your presence here, " I snap.

He runs as fast as a Neimoidian is capable, anxious to get out of my sight.

As soon as he is gone, I laugh. It's not that I want to sleep in luxury. But I do enjoy terrifying Nute. It's too easy, but it's pleasurable.

I walk through the palace, noting the richness of the materials, the fine workmanship of the furnishings, the grandeur of the hallways and staircases. Windows run floor to ceiling and reflect back the pools and waterfalls of the city of Theed. I do not often notice my surroundings except as something to move through and exploit in order to accomplish a mission. But here I begin to see what lies ahead for us. Control of the galaxy in our grasp, with every luxury at our feet.

I have been raised without luxury. Bare walls, bare floors, a sleep-mat. A bowl to eat from. I have believed fine things make one soft. All my joy comes in battle, all my pleasure comes in preparing for it.

But I could be wrong about this. I could rule from a palace like this one day. It would not be so terrible a fate.

I find the throne room. Nute and Rune are talking, and they stop abruptly when I appear in the doorway. No doubt Nute was complaining about me.

I stroll in and look at Nute hard. He rises off the throne and hurries to a low chair. I sit, and they glance at me nervously.

"Status report, " I tell them.

Nute blathers that things are going well on Na-boo. Rune chimes in that the people are cowed completely in the camps. The underground resistance movement is small and will be crushed any day. Every ship in the area, every troop has been alerted to watch out for the Queen's ship. She will be spotted as soon as she enters Naboo's atmosphere, they promise. She will no doubt land in the central square, hoping to negotiate, with the Jedi as her shields. It is impossible for her to slip through the many safeguards they have set up.

"Unless she is already here, " I say.

"Impossible!" They cry this in one voice.

I suggest that together we check out security around the plaza. This meets with their usual gla.s.sy-eyed, babbling approval.

We stroll around the central plaza. Waterfalls thunder nearby. Their spray cools the air. The plaza is wide and desolate. I imagine that before the invasion it would have been full of people. I have heard of the fine crafts of Naboo, the musicians, the food sellers, all the pleasures that could be bought or traded for in the center of the great city.

I prefer it empty.

Nute and Rune point out the patrols. They are timed to cover the plaza every fifteen minutes.

"Make it every five, " I say.

Rune points out nervously that there are still pockets of resistance throughout the city. Shouldn't we keep the troops spread out?

I let my gaze squeeze their puny minds, turn their thoughts liquid with fear.

"Do you think, " I ask in a dangerous tone, "the Queen will dawdle when she arrives, and simply wait for you to pick her up? Think, cretin. Where do you think she'll be heading?"

Nute barks the order into his comlink. Five-minute patrols! He has begun to fidget.

"There should be surveillance at all times, " I say, sweeping my arm to take in the balconies. "Infrared sensors to alert the patrols. "

Rune tells me quickly that they will arrange it.

The Queen cannot escape their surveillance. Everything is under control - Nute's comlink signals. He hesitates.

I suggest he answer it, or he'll find himself thrown over a waterfall.

An officer reports in from the field. The Queen's ship has been found in the Naboo swamps.

Nute looks stunned. Rune's ugly mouth drops open. Their stupidity is no longer amusing.

"Have you captured her?" Nute roars.

The officer replies that the ship is empty, and there is no sign of the Queen's party. They have disappeared.

I say nothing. It is more effective.

Nute's voice trembles as he orders the officer to send out patrols to search.

I grab his comlink and switch it off. There is no reason to hear more dithering from fools. I hold it in front of his face.

"Everything is under control, you say?" I hiss directly in his face. He flinches. "You'll pay for this. Now we must contact Lord Sidious. "

Nute nods. He has no choice. But the mere mention of my Master's name has made him look greener than usual. Things are slipping out of his control. When my Master first contacted the Neimoidians to suggest the blockade, their greed overcame them. They thought this would be easy, no doubt. Now I sense that Nute and Rune wish they were on a planet in the Outer Rim, well away from the Sith Lord's grasp. Only their fear and greed keep them tethered here.

Lord Sidious appears before us in hologram form. Nute repeats the officer's report, adding that he has acted quickly to send out search patrols.

"This is an unexpected move for her, " Lord Sidious says. "It is too aggressive... Lord Maul, be mindful. "