Post-Mortem

A/N: Inspired by the funeral scene in "Deception" and set after "Crisis on Naboo", this addresses the fallout of Obi-Wan's staged death. I wondered how Satine would have reacted to learning that Obi-Wan was alive at the end of it all, and how a discussion between them would pan out.

Many thanks to Uroboros75 for the beta work.

Disclaimer: The words are my own, but the characters are graciously borrowed.

He had been meditating for well over an hour when the message came in.

"Obi-Wan, are you there?"

The words were like a shattering blow to his placid state. His meditation broken, Obi-Wan opened his eyes, hands dropping from their previously joined pose. The holocron stand to his right had lit up a bright blue, illuminating the figure of Duchess Satine Kryze. She sat poised on the edge of a sofa, blonde hair swept neatly behind her ears. Her mouth was downturned, as if something had robbed her of her usual smile, and her eyes were shadowed by a worry he had not seen for some time.

"Satine?" Obi-Wan rose and strode over to the holocron, noting the Duchess's distressed expression. "Is everything alright?"

Despite the interference from the holocron, Obi-Wan could see her brow crease and her eyes narrow. She hardly looked impressed.

Her words came out sharp, snapping over the channel like fire beetles. "I would think that the answer to that would be obvious to you, isn't it?"

Though Mandalore was a great distance from Coruscant, Obi-Wan felt he could sense echoes of anger and pain reverberating from Satine. The reason for her call was undoubtedly rooted in a certain mission he had recently completed, and he knew that a peaceful end to their current conversation would require some explanation. To say the least.

"You're referring to my apparent death, I assume?"

Satine scoffed. "Yes, of course. For what other possible reason would I be calling you? I want to know why. Why did you lie? Have you no concept of grief?!"

Her anger rippled through hyperspace like drum beats and momentarily silenced him. He had known going into the mission that his death would affect those who were closest to him, Satine among them. He had never imagined that the backlash would be quite so strong.

The consequence of his lack of forethought now laid before him, Obi-Wan found himself pressed for answers he wasn't sure he had. The simple answer of duty would leave a void large enough to push Satine further away, and anything lacking in sincerity would only deepen the gulf of disappointment he sensed in her.

"Satine, I know some of my decisions in the past few weeks have been questionable, but I did what I had to do because my mission required it."

She crossed her arms as a ripple swept across her image. "Including leading myself and your other friends to believe that you were dead?"

He didn't respond immediately, carefully considering his next choice of words. It was true that he had deceived his friends and comrades by feigning his demise, but it had been a necessary act. He could see the logic behind his decision, but he suspected that Satine would not be so easily persuaded.

A heavy pause had bloomed in those moments, interrupted only by the occasional crackles of the holocron. Satine didn't wait for him to answer.

"Tell me, Obi-Wan, how many more lies will there be before this war ends?"

Obi-Wan brought a hand to rest on his chin, eyes drifting to his fingers. He didn't like the notion any more than Satine did, but he also knew that the requirement of duty often overlooked personal preferences.

Letting out a sigh, he said, "I don't know."

A huff of dismay escaped Satine. "I wonder if there will ever come a time when a lie will cost less than any peace that could ever be achieved from it in this war." She fixed him with a piercing gaze. "Do not lie to me like this ever again."

Obi-Wan resisted his desire to grimace at her tone. A part of him knew the likelihood of such a lie being necessary again, but he also knew that it was best to not inform Satine of that. It would do him no good to draw attention to a fuse he would hopefully never have to light.

"I'm sorry, Satine. I realize that it was not the best decision, but it was not one that I could simply turn away. I do… regret the effect it's had, though, on you and others."

"I know."

She paused, her voice softening. Her eyes drifted to the distance for a moment, focused on something that he could not see. Eventually her gaze returned to him, but her expression remained downcast. "Even from outside the conflict, deceit has had a costly effect on Mandalore."

Obi-Wan nodded, recalling Ahsoka's report. "Padawan Tano spoke of the trouble with Prime Minister Almec in her report. It's unfortunate that one of your closest advisors turned out to be on the opposing side."

"Opposing side?" Satine retorted. "Almec was carrying out deals with smugglers while orchestrating a black market right under my nose! He was far from simply being on an opposing side."

Obi-Wan pursed his lips, quietly crossing his arms. It was no secret that Mandalore had faced its share of misfortune in recent years, but the internal corruption posed a deeper threat than even Death Watch had. When he had visited Mandalore, Satine's government appeared to support her, but with that foundation shaken by Prime Minister Almec's betrayal Obi-Wan wondered how strong it was now. Any cracks in Satine's leadership could easily be filled by Death Watch propaganda if given sufficient opportunity.

What if that opportunity has already appeared? He wondered.

"Do you think others in your government pose a similar risk? I imagine Almec's removal caused some distress."

Satine nodded softly, her anger having waned to frustration and concern that ebbed like a shallow pulse through space.

"Almec's imprisonment seems to have caused more trouble amongst the people than my own party," she replied. "It's almost as if they were in favour of the black market, but… I can't understand why."

"Your people need supplies, Satine. With the trade routes closed off, desperation will settle in, and the unfortunate reality is that desperation has a way of shifting one's moral boundaries."

Satine let her head fall into one of her hands, fingers stroking her forehead. For an instant Obi-Wan wished that they were having this conversation in person rather than over holocron with hundreds of parsecs between them.

"They should not have to turn to contraband to survive." Her hand fell from her forehead to her chin and her eyes glanced up at Obi-Wan. "I would never resort to such measures."

He stroked his beard, brow creasing. Satine's idealism was unflappable, but its functionality was severely limited by the constraints of the war. "You may have to resort to some new measures, Satine. Not Almec's, but… something different altogether."

"And what might those be?" she snapped. "There is a limited list of options at my disposal, and few of those work in favour of Mandalore's neutrality." She shook her head. "No, we will continue trade with the other neutral systems. It is the only way to ensure our safety."

Obi-Wan's hand fell from his chin. "But will it ensure your safety?"

Satine dropped her hands into her lap, folding them together as she sat up. Her eyes fell to her hands rather than Obi-Wan. "That never seems to be a certainty with my position. I've grown accustomed to the near constant threat of assassination—though I assure you it is not a welcome feeling. There will always be people that oppose my views, and with that sometimes comes an egotism the drives them to believe that they are more suitable for this position than I am."

There was a momentary pang of remorse that left him as quickly as a glimmer, but a part of him knew where Satine's concern emanated from. Though not eclipsed by her resilience and determination, it was a demanding sensation for her nonetheless.

"Even with enemies, there are also those that support you," he replied. "Know that you have friends in the Republic, and you should not hesitate to call on them when needed."

"I know," she said softly. She hesitated for a moment, trepidation glancing across her expression before vanishing entirely. "Obi… I thought I'd lost you. I've lost many friends and allies recently, but I truly do not want to lose you."

Obi-Wan smirked. "Worry not, Duchess. I have no intention of going anywhere for the time being."

Satine smiled in response. "That is good to hear. Although, might I suggest delegating these missions of espionage to someone else in the future?"

He raised an eyebrow. Satine was ever the diplomat. "I'll see what I can do."

She smiled back at him. "It was good to talk to you again," she said. "I'm afraid it has been some time."

"It has, but I am glad we were able to rectify this," he added.

Satine stood from her seat, her image on the holocron rippling. "Indeed. Though I believe it is time for me to return to my duties. Perhaps our paths will cross again in the future and you can explain this… peculiar mission of yours."

He quirked a brow and imagined trying to explain stabbing a Karkarodon with a fork over drinks to her. Maybe he'll omit that particular part. "I look forward to it."

She gave a solemn nod in return. "Goodbye, Obi-Wan." Then her image disintegrated from the holocron, leaving him alone in the room again. He returned to his seat, folding his legs beneath him and placed his hands on his knees. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind as Coruscant disappeared around him, leaving him boundless in thought. He felt the warm breath of the Force rush over his skin, welcoming him back once more.

Fin