Chapter Thirteen: Hypotheticals and Hypocrites

The blood of his father - master - elder - friend -

He remembers it dripping down his wrists, filled with a fury he had never wanted to experience again. Remembering the fury, the face of that tattooed man snarling at him for his nightmares for the next decade.

At one point during this damn war he had though the death of his lover was the worst thing to happen, a vital piece of his childhood, someone that had stuck by him through thick and thin -

Maybe this war should have been the worst thing, an army of a trillion men that all looked the same.

Perhaps in another universe - possibly this - it would be the burning body of his brother, his son, his best friend, his soul - screaming at him, the smell of flaming flesh intermixed with the stench of evil and hate -

…no.

It was the feeling of his son's blood on his fingers, pumping the tiny chest, begging to feel a heartbeat whie fire raged around them, while everyone screamed, while the bombing was a direct attack on…

Satine.

Not his first love…not his lover. Too crude of a term. Girlfriend - too weak. Partner - too ambiguous. Wife, maybe, in some universe. The mother of his child.

Breathing out slowly, Obi-Wan slumps against the wall and opens his eyes. The starry sky of Sundari stares back at him, uncaring of all of his thoughts. He can see the edges of dawn, bringing him farther from the life he's always had… the one he had always walked back too.

He doesn't know if he wants to walk back this time.

"What about the Jedi Order?"

What about the Jedi Order indeed?

It's been a week since she asked that question and he can't shake it. Can not shake it, even as a statement about the attack was released.

Even as the school and the prison was put on lockdown… Sundari was put on lock down… then the planet… then the entire damn system.

"...we have the suspect in custody…her known name is Cinna. She's a student of Sundari Acadamy. Her uncle is a professor there and a known Death Watch sympathizer - and we have connected her to Death Watch as well." Satine had paused, gripping the podium while the reporters screamed and cameras flashed and the Galaxy waited for an answer.

The Galaxy may have their opionions on Mandalore, but everyone liked Korkie.

…he is just a kid stuck in the game of thrones. A chess piece whose only duty was to not get caught.

"We'll release everything, all of our evidence."

Swallowing hard, Obi-Wan scrubs a hand over his face, remembering.

Cinna is just a kid trapped in a cult, getting blood on her hands so the older generation could keeping arguing in the senate.

Heh.

Someone could say he is doing the same. Him, Obi-Wan Kenobi, General of the Third Systems Army, personal commander of the 212th Legion, Master Jedi, Council Member -

- trying to scrub the blood of the innocent off his hands while the real war is in the dim offices and bank accounts and tariffs and slavery disguised as fair working conditions and fair wages -

"...the Republic will not interfere, that I promise. They have no right in Mandalorian affairs - and the affairs of my bed do not count."

The statement finished with the announcement of an emergency lockdown of Sundari.

That happened…

Then more bombings all over the planet. More lockdowns in more cities, one by one. A state of emergency declared across the planet.

Constant calls from the council he ignored.

Korkie was moved to the palace despite still recovering. Full detail placed around their palace at all times. No one was allowed in or out the city or planet without Satine's permission.

Death Watch increased their threats, their bombings, their attacks in airspace - they currently held two moons and four cities across the system.

The system was declared on lockdown. Satine…

"I'm calling a Council of Clans," Satine had announced in an emergency broadcast only hours ago. She was exhausted, dishevled, running on stims and fury. Parliament was backed into a corner. What else were they to do except band together in their most desperate hour?

"We will meet at sundown tomorrow… Death Watch… Pre Vizla… you can hurt me all you want… but the line is drawn at my son. This ends now."

The sound of feet trotting on the bare floor interrupted his brooding. He looks over with a soft smile, reaching out a hand.

Satine takes his hand briefly, giving it a squeeze before dropping it and sitting down next to him. Putting her head on his shoulder, she reaches into her robe pocket and pulls something out. "This is yours."

"My comlink?"

"It rang again - I answered."

"What?"

"I told Master Windu you'd call him back before noon."

Obi-Wan stares at her, mouth open and eyes wide. He tries to think of a response, but nothing comes.

"I know you don't agree with my decision to call the Clans - "

"I haven't said anything - "

Satine moves, straddling his hips in one swift movement and stabbing a well-manicured nail into his chest. Her eyes are watering. "I have always left the decision to you: myself or the Jedi… and I will do the same again. You can stay or you can leave. I will not fault you for either decision."

"An inter-galatic war or a beautiful woman on my lap?"

"A bastard son from a culture that hates your people or a people that love everything about you except your lover?"

"A union that puts a generational feud to rest and a child of both cultures - "

Satine scoffs, rising from his lap and standing. "A child to be used as a pawn."

Obi-Wan watches as she pulls a pack of cigarettes from her robe and reaching for the lighter hidden by a potted plant. He stands as she lights a cigarette, quiet while she takes a few puffs. The fact that she has never kicked the smoking addiction makes him furious… makes him wonder if he's to blame, for causing so much stress because a condom or a pill was forgotten.

"You should go back to the Jedi," Satine mutters eventually as she flicks a few embers from the cigarette. "The respect of billions as a general - "

" - or the shame of being an absent father among a culture that prides itself on raising the next generation to be better than their parents."

Satine scoffs again, rubbing at her eyes with her free hand. The rising sun reflects the glassy sheen on her face. "Can't be worse than being a single mother from a culture where extramarital sex is seen as immoral… we tell new fathers, new mothers, new parents here that it doesn't matter what kind of parent you had, just who you will be… but then what sort of example are you setting if you're loose with your virtue and that's how they came into the galaxy?"

"...as long as it's consenting why does it matter? That's part of your culture as well."

"Hypocrites aren't they?"

Obi-Wan felt tears of his own falling down his face. Clenching and unclenching his fists, he breathed in deeply. "...there's is a lot I respect about your customs… raising children regardless of blood relation, priding itself on education and familial bonds… a gender neutral mother tongue… that anyone can be a warrior, any type of warrior - but the fact that your people shame those who become pregnant outside of wedlock is - "

"Ben - "

"I'm not done Satine… Satine." Clearing the few steps between them, Obi-Wan grasped her forearm. "No one should be shamed for keeping and caring for a child that was conceived out of wedlock. That's the ultimate sacrifice, raising a child without support like you did… and I'm sorry I didn't put the pieces together. They would have judged you regardless if you married myself or someone else or stayed single… just don't blame yourself."

"...a clan of two, that's what we were. Are."

Obi-Wan bent, pushing her cigarette aside and pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "A clan of two plus one."

"Meaning?"

"...I'll tell Mace I'll stay here until Death Watch is dissolved."

"...and then?"

"I don't know… and that's my answer for now."

Satine opens her mouth to fight, to say something, to argue. She instead nods, stubbing the cigarette out and letting the tears fall down her face as he wrapped his arms about her. "I fear Death Watch will call upon the Seperatist Confedarcy for help."

"Then we'll have something in the war effort the Republic hasn't had yet." Obi-Wan pulled away, smirking while he brushes the tears from her face. "Angry Mandalorians on the frontlines… pissed that someone tried to kill you before they had the chance."

Sitting back on the meditation cushion, Mace watches the Holo-projector whir to a stop. He didn't know quite what to think of the conversation he had just had.

Anticipated some of the news… not all of it. It wasn't the biggest surprise that Obi-Wan has a child with the Duchess Satine. Anyone with eyes could see the resemblance.

He's still not entirely sure why it had taken so long for Obi-Wan to figure such a mammoth situation out.

Part of his desperately hopes that Obi-Wan will come back to the Order.

But they weren't a cult. It was a lifestyle in a way… a way of thinking.

But Obi-Wan had always been able to understand where he was needed.

But…

Shaking his head, Mace reaches over and pressed the redial button.

Obi-Wan answers immediately, looking rather confused. He's sitting down on a couch of sorts, pushing something - probably a wine glass - out of view. "Mace?"

"Can we at least have Commander Cody back if you're gonna be otherwise occupied for who knows how long? As much as I respect Skywalker I don't quite trust him with a tenth of the Republic army."

Somewhere in the background, there is muffled laughter and a few snorts. Clearing his throat, Obi-Wan opens his mouth before pushing the comlink backwards.

"Duchess," Mace greets pleasantly. "I… Glad you're doing well. Pass my wishes onto your son?"

Duchess Satine nods, a small smile on her lips as she sets down a teacup. A Tooka's head pops into view briefly to sniff at the teacup, and she pushes it away gently. "Thank you - and yes, I can give clearance to Commander Cody to leave our airspace. I cannot guarantee his safety after he leaves Mandalorian airspace."

"That's fine. We can figure it out from there."

"Mace," Obi-Wan leant forward with a frown. "...do you plan to tell the Council this?"

"I hoped you would."

Satine interjects before either can say more. "It's the least you can do Obi-Wan… both of us."

Obi-Wan grimaces, scratching at his chin. "...and Anakin?"

"That is something you have to do, my friend."

"...right."

Steepling his fingers beneath his chin, Mace tries to manage a comforting smile. "Inform Commander Cody if you can, Obi-Wan. The three of us can have a more formal meeting afterwards, perhaps with the other generals of the Third Systems Army?"

"Sounds reasonable to me. Is that all Mace?"

"It is…I'll talk to you soon." Shutting the holo-projector off - again - Mace felt tears begin to trickle down his face. This war… had taken so much from all of them. It had nearly taken his Depa, and he still didn't know if she'd ever wake up…

"I'll be damned if I let Obi-Wan share the same fate."