Chapter 3

AN: Hey guys, I'm back working on this story. I know it took a while to update but it is what it is. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to leave a review.

For more than a week now Bo had been putting her sister through retraining so to speak, to make Satine remember all she might have forgotten during her years as a pacifist. Oh, Satine was reluctant at first but Bo-Katan had persuaded the former dutchess to engage in combat training as a method of relieving stress, a method which proved effective after a few days after which Satine became more relaxed and without headaches, something she still refused to acknowledge but it was a start. Bo was honestly impressed by her sister, even if she was rusty Satine could still hold her own in a fight, hand to hand combat was good, staff combat has improved since the first day, her blade work could use some improvement but her aim with a knife is still as good as Bo remembered, the last fact sending a shudder down her spine as she remembered one time when they were teens, they had an argument that day and during dinner Bo had said something she should have not and took things too far, making Satine furious enough to throw the knife she was using to cut her meal right above Bo's head, she knew her sister would never try to kill her but she understood the warning clearly, don't piss me off. Their parents were furious with both of them and punished them for it, Bo later apologized for taking things too far and Satine for throwing a knife at her sister. That was before Satine changed.

Satine knew what her sister was doing, the training might be useful as a stress relief but she was still conflicted about it. Granted she wasn't really hurting anyone, it was just sparing with her sister at most. Bo and she always had a rivalry, all siblings do up to a degree, some more some less, their sibling rivalry was somewhere in the former but they always loved each other. They both had a temper when they were younger, something they inherited from their mother, their father being more of a calm and logical type, guess what people say was true about them, the opposites attract. Satine sighed at the memory of her parents, maybe she isn't that different from them after all, she and Obi-Wan are opposites of each other, and yet even after all years of separation she still loved the ginger-haired Jedi. She chuckled softly, a pacifist and a soldier, opposites really do attract.

She wondered how things could have turned out if Obi-Wan had chosen to stay with her all those years ago, if she had asked him to would he have agreed, would have he left the Jedi order for her as he said, would he have hated her if she asked, was it selfish to still want him for herself even with everything that is happening in the galaxy? Kenobi is one of the best Jedi in existence, one of the best generals the Republic has, he is wise, a talented negotiator, he is always the calming voice in any situation, a member of the Jedi council. Could she really have deprived the Republic and the galaxy for her own selfish reasons?

The logical part of her, the one that was the dutchess of Mandalore, the leader of the pacifist movement and the leader of the neutral systems said no, that them parting was the right thing to do but the other part of her, her heart, the woman part of her screamed yes. She had done her duty as the dutchess of Mandalore for years, she had lost so much since the civil war that engulfed her planet and gained so little in comparison. She had lost her parents, her brother, her sister abandoned her, she had lost her entire family, she had one chance to gain some true happiness in her life among all that tragedy and pain but she waisted it. She had plenty of time to ponder how things would have been different had she just for once threw duty out of the window and took something for herself, was love too much to ask for. She now saw how stupid she was, she could have at least have asked him if he truly loved her so much.

She still loved him just like before and she could see that he still had feelings for her, it was obvious, the way he talks to her, looks at her, how he acts around her, he still loves her, but is it enough? She now had a chance to be with him, but she would never forgive herself if she gave up on her people, on Mandalore, she could not leave them in the hands of a beast like Maul. The possibility of negotiating did not exist, the Republic was too slow and she could guess the reason, the history between Mandalore and the Republic is one of almost constant conflict, every war the two participated they fought on opposite sides. Satine understood that a lot of senators were reluctant if not outright against helping the people who had fought them for thousands of years, even with all she had done in the recent years that seemed to do little to improve the way senators and citizens of the Republic saw the Mandalorians. Her people had always been warriors, from their earliest days, before Mandalore was a toxic desert it was more hospitable, yes it was still hot and arid but it allowed for her people to thrive. From those earliest days the Mandalorians had to fight to survive, the environment they lived in hardened them, and years of fighting for resources made them become a society that valued martial prowess and honor above all else. Even when they reached out to the stars little changed, they still did what they did best and grew powerful enough for the whole galaxy to fear them.

The Mandalorians sacked so many worlds in their conquest of the galaxy and had brought the Republic almost to the point of breaking, if it wasn't for the Jedi called Revan and his crusaders Mandalorians would have done it. That defeat at the hands of Revan left a bad taste in the mouths of her people that is felt to this day, that is why the Mandalorians don't trust Jedi even after thousands of years. The only member of the Mandalorian people to ever become a Jedi was Tarre Vizla. He was a Jedi, a warrior and the leader of their people, the last thing she tried to be also and failed.

Satine knew that now the only way to retake her homeworld would be through force, they would need to lead an army to defeat Maul's forces and push them off the world. By now they had enough time to entrench themselves and gather supplies not to mention that the Death Watch are seen as heroes by the public due to them supposedly saving Mandalore when the Shadow collective attacked. If the Republic finally takes pity on her and deices to act it might be too late, her people would see the arrival of the GAR not as a force that is there to free them but as invaders, they will see them in the same light as the criminals who had tried to sack their homes all too recently and an army being lead by a Jedi only makes things worse.

As the duchess, she is already seen as weak by the citizens of her world because of her inability to protect them when they needed her the most and if she gets the help of the GAR by begging on her knees she would lose what little respect she has left in the eyes of her people. Vizslas point that she is unable to lead as a true leader would be proven. Her sister's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"What's on your mind?" Bo asked as she stood next to Satine who was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in her hands.

Satine looked at the cup and sighed. "Just about the things that could have been and the problems that getting the Republic to help us would entail."

"So finally accepting the fact that the Senate and the Jedi will not stick their necks out for us," Bo said, it almost sounded as if she was saying I told you so.

Satine looked at her sister. "If you knew that they wouldn't help why did you bring us here?"

"It was the safest place I could think of, it is heavily defended, there is a large fleet in the orbit, an army of clones on the ground, and a temple full of Jedi nearby so no one in their right mind would try to assault this place without a lot of ships and manpower, Maul might have those things but he does not have enough to challenge the Republic on that level. The last and only time Coruscant was attacked and taken was during the Great Galactic War and that took the Sith Empire and Mandalore a lot of resources to pull off. It was good that none among the Republic were expecting it," Bo said, smirking at the last part.

"I appreciate it, I truly don't know where we could have gone," Satine said honestly.

"Well we are here now and there is nothing we can do about it," Bo looked at her sister's right side. "How's the shoulder?"

"Still a bit sour but otherwise fine. What, you want us to spar again?"

Bo-Katan smiled and shook her head. "Not this time sister," Bo said and put a WESTAR-35 blaster pistol on the table in front of Satine. The former dutchess raised an eyebrow at that. "We are going to see how good you are with firearms."

Satine stared at the medium-range weapon for a moment until she raised her head and looked at Bo again. "And where are we going to do that? We can't really do it here, in Padme's apartment, we had made a mess out of it as it is. I don't think it would be good to have our hoast see evidence of blaster shots on the walls of her home."

"I had already made the necessary preparations, all you have to do is take the blaster and follow me."

Satine looked at her sister with skepticism. She had not fired a gun in years, granted she did come close when Merrik wanted to blow up her ship, she had almost pulled the trigger when Obi-Wan's former padawan stabbed the traitor through the chest with his lightsaber.

"I don't know Bo," Satine said looking at her sister. "Close quarters is one thing but firearms, I'm not so certain I wish to take a gun in my hands again, the last time I fired one," Satine paused for a moment, pain evident in her eyes. "I still remember the face of the man who died by my hands."

Bo frowned "You did what you needed to survive, there is no point in questioning your choice to defend yourself. If you did not pull that trigger you would have been killed long ago," and I would have been all alone Bo said mentally adding the last bit. Satine still looked at the blaster with uncertainty. Bo-Katan sighed "Fine let's make a wager if you hit more than half of the targets I will buy you your favorite drink if you lose you buy me my favorite, deal?" Bo internally smirked, nothing gets her sister going like their rivalry and some good old and extremely expensive Corellian whisky.

"Or are you going to chicken out?"

Satine put her cup of coffee down on the table. "Fine, I will go with you, but only to prove to you that I can still shoot a blaster," Satine said determent.

The two sisters made their way out of the senator's apartment and to a speeder waiting for them outside, they took the speeder to where the Mandalorian Kom'rk-class fighter was docked. What remained of Bos troops that had aided in Satines rescue have spent the last weeks here, guarding the transport and keeping a low profile. The crew of the ship was made out of six surviving Mandalorian warriors and a young forger named Mathis. As the speeder settled down and came to a halt Satine looked at the fighter/transport, the ship showed signs of a hasty and dangerous escape, evidence of blaster shots could be seen on the ship's haul.

The former dutchess got out of the speeder and followed her sister towards the ship, few of the warriors were out and they turned their attention to the two sisters. They nodded respectfully to Bo-Katan while glaring at Satine. She knew that they were all former Death Watch members and that they played a part in Maul taking over but they too were the ones who saved her. Even if they were on opposite sides before, she still felt that she failed them as well as the rest of their people. The two of them came to a stop behind the ship where targets had been set up.

"Let's see what you got," Bo said nodding her head towards the targets. Satine pulled the blaster out of its holster and aimed at the first target. She took a deep breath as she aimed and after a short moment, she pulled the trigger, sending a blaster bolt towards its destination. The shot hit the target but not in the center, it was more to the right, towards the middle line. "Not bad, try again." Satine did so as aimed at the next target and pulled the trigger sending the next bolt at the target. This time the shot landed to the left. "Again."

The process was repeated multiple times over the next several hours, Bo making her sister shot again and again even going as far as giving Satine a second blaster to dual-wield them. At the end of the session Bo was somewhat pleased, her sister still knew how to shot, her aim was good but getting used to holding a gun properly once more will take time.

"I think I will take that drink to go," Satine said after they finished for the day. The two sisters spent the next several weeks going over combat techniques, from martial arts to weapons wielding. Satine had shot from the WESTAR-35 blasters, GAALAR-15 blaster carbine, and even from Bo's own vambrace. Kenobi had been perplexed by Satine's behavior, she had always refused to take up arms and now she was actively training with them. He knew it was Bo-Katan who put her up to it but he also wondered how much of it was Satine's own decision. She was always a driven person, stubborn at times and loyal to her people, he was starting to worry that Maul's invasion and taking of Mandalore might send Satine over the edge and make her renounce every ideal she stood for. The Senate and the Jedi Council weren't helping the matter at all, the senators were against sending aid to Mandalore for various reasons and the council could not send an army there if they did not have tangible proof that Maul is there, otherwise it would be seen by the rest of the galaxy that the Jedi are invading a neutral world.

"So your pacifist girlfriend has taken up arms and has been training daily for the past month is what Padme has told me is true," Anakin said as he drove their speeder from the temple to Padmes apartment. Kenobi would have argued with his annoyingly mischievous student but after all this time he just learned to accept the teasing from Anakin.

"I'm worried about her, ever since the Mandalorian civil war she had refused to take up any weapon apart from a deactivator but since she arrived here something changed and I have a feeling her sister had something to do with it."

"I think it's more than just her sister master, she did pretty much lost her entire world she was supposed to rule to a bloodthirsty Sith. That would put anyone in a bad mode, even a pacifist duchess."

Kenobi thought about what his apprentice was saying for a moment. "Maybe you are right Anakin but still Satine had always been a gentle soul, she is not a killer, a leader and a politician yes but not someone who would be able to kill another being even if it means taking back her home."

"Perhaps you are underestimating her, traumatic events can make people who things they never thought they would do before," Anakin said, there was a dark undertone to his voice, something that did not go unnoticed by Obi-Wan. Anakin knew what it means to lose someone you care about, when his mother had died in his arms he had proceeded to slaughter an entire village of Tusken raiders. He had slaughtered them like animals, something he had not thought he would ever do to anyone until that moment. The situation the dutchess was in was not too different. "What is the reason she called us anyway?"

"She told me she wanted to talk to us, she had something important to say," Obi-Wan answered, wondering what Satine had on her mind.

"I guess we will see when we arrive."

When the two Jedi arrived at the apartment they disembarked their speeder and entered the main room. In the dining area, they found Satine, Bo-Katan, and Padme sitting. Anakin noted the worried expression on Padme's face, it seems they had interrupted something important.

"Master Kenobi, Master Skywalker," Padme said. It hurt Anakin's heart that they had to hide. He was pretty sure that his master knew or at least suspected of his relationship with the senator and he was grateful for him keeping it to himself. It was amusing to Anakin that his master, a man who is seen as a perfect Jedi was in a similar situation like his former Padawan. Kenobi had come clean about his relationship with Satine a few weeks ago, telling Anakin about their time on the run during the Mandalorian civil war. It was obvious that Obi-Wan still loved the dutchess no matter how hard he denied it. He has yet to tell Padme about it, Obi-Wan confided in him and Anakin didn't want to betray his trust.

"Greetings senator, we were informed by the dutchess that she wished to speak to us," Kenobi said.

"Indeed there is a matter that I wished to speak about, to both of you," Satine said and then looked at Obi-Wan. "But I would first like to talk with master Kenobi in private if I may."

"If you wish, duchess," Kenobi said. Satine urged Kenobi to follow her to her room to speak in private, there is a lot she wanted to tell him. Satine entered the room first then Obi-Wan and the doors closed with a hiss. Kenobi looked at the former duchess who had her back turned to him. "What is this about Satine?" he asked, worry clear in his voice.

She sighed and turned around, looking at him. "There isn't going to be any help from the Republic, is there?"

Kenobi stared at her for a long moment before he bowed his head in shame. "No, there won't. In time maybe but right now no."

"I would like to say that I'm shocked but since I came here I realized some things. There is too much bad blood between our peoples, the only way that the GAR would immediately aid us is if Maul showed his face to the entire galaxy."

"Satine I..." Obi-Wan started.

"I know you tried your best Obi and I'm thankful for it but it appears that Mandalore is going to have to solve its problems alone as it always has."

The Jedi looked apologetically at his former lover, he truly wished that he could just take the 212th to Mandalore and finish Maul once and for all. If he did the job right the first time none of this would be happening.

"What do you intend to do?" he asked, he could guess the possible answers and feared the one of which came to mind. Satine was not cut out for that, she was too gentle, she didn't have what it takes to be a warrior, to take another person's life.

"My sister and I had talked a lot during our stay here, we even managed to put our differences aside," she sighed "Ironic isn't it, all it took for us to act as sisters again was for us to lose our home," a sad smile graced her lips. "If our mother was here she would be screaming at us for being idiots, that sisters should not abandon each other as we did. As we talked I came to a realization that even with all my efforts to keep my home planet and its people safe I failed and the reason I failed was that I wasn't willing to accept the truth of the situation, Mandalore might have enjoyed the era of rebuilding and peace under my rule but trying to completely wipe out the old ways made me many enemies and costed many innocent lives. I wanted to believe that the Death Watch was nothing more than a few crazed tugs who wanted to take power through terror and force. I so desperately wanted to turn my people from their warring ways to a people of peace, who would not even think about taking up arms and fighting in a war. I now realize that trying to completely wipe out the old ways was a mistake, if I tried to find some kind of compromise maybe this could have been avoided."

Obi-Wan took a step forward and put his hands on Satines shoulder. "You tried to do what you thought was best, turning the Mandalorians into a peaceful society is a noble cause."

The sad smile returned. "A noble one but foolish one in the end," Satine took a step back and crossed her arms a look of hurt on her face. "Bo has learned from the few agents she has left on Mandalore that as soon as the Death Watch took over Mandalore people around the world started flocking to them, the number only increasing after I fled the planet. Maul has an army of Mandalorian warriors at his beck and call, my people are serving a sith lord and are ready to fight the Republic just like thousands of years ago. This made me realize that no matter how much I want them to change, they won't. War is rutted too deeply into our culture, there was peace but when the first real opportunity showed itself the Mandalorians went back to their old ways, weapons and armor at the ready and prepared for war," Satine said pain evident in her tone.

"What will you do now? I know you well enough that you won't just sit on the sidelines but defeating Maul will take an army you won't be able to do it with words, Satine," Obi-Wan said.

"And I don't intend to do it with words, the time for that has passed," Satine said and Obi-Wan felt a pit of dread in his stomach.

"You don't mean to..."

"I have no other options Obi, if I'm to free my people I would need to fight for them. It might take months or years but I will succeed one day. I know it's hypocritical but I have to, I don't have any other options."

"Satine you don't need to do this, you don't need to throw away what you stand for to you could retake your home. I-I will do something, I can try to persuade the council again," Obi-Wan pleaded.

"We both know that won't work, I have to do this Obi, I now realize that."

"Satine," he came closer to her, his face barely an inch away from hers. "You can't do this alone," he said in a soft, low tone.

"I won't be alone, I got my sister and those that are still with her. We will get more to our side, there are still clans that have not sided with the original Death Watch or to the new regime on Mandalore. When told the truth they will fight to retake their homeworld from the grasp of a Sith."

"It is too dangerous, you could get hurt. Maul is not someone you can challenge easily."

"I know that Obi, but there are still people who believe in me, I swore an oath to protect the people of Mandalore and I intend to honor that pledge no matter the cost to myself."

Silence filled the room, neither speaking for a long moment, just staring at each other eyes, blue meeting blue.

"You always were selfless, that's one of the things I liked most about you," Obi-Wan said. Satine stayed quiet for a few moments until she decided to replie.

"And you as just as brave as you were back then, although not as reckless," Satine said with a smile.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow and then returned the smile. "Oh you liked when I was reckless, did you. Well as master Yoda says with age comes wisdom and I'm much wiser now."

"You might have aged but you are still as handsome as I remember, I'm still not sure about the beard."

"I think it adds to my dignity," Obi-Wan said playfully.

"I may change my mind, it looks good on you but I still think it hides too much of your handsome face," they inched closer until their lips locked, the kiss was full of love and passion. It has been too long since her lips met his. After a short but passionate moment, their lips parted. "Still as good of a kisser as I remember."

"Was there ever any doubt?" he asked with a smirk.

"No, never," she said looking at his gorgeous blue eyes. "I think we should return to the rest before they start to get any funny ideas."

"With my luck, Anakin already has," Obi-Wan said and they walked back to the main dining area. There they were met by the Jedi, senator, and the warrior.

"I told them everything," Bo said.

"You were supposed to wait for me to tell Obi-Wan first," Satine, annoyed at her sister.

"You two were taking too long and I thought you might have decided to take some alone time," Bo said with a smirk, clearly evident what she was implying.

"For someone who I thought would be all serious and perhaps angry you seem to take great pleasure in annoying your sister," Obi-Wan said.

Bo shrugged "We are sisters, it's our job to annoy each other. I'm just glad she finally managed to get her head out of her ass."

"Quite the elegant way to put it," Satine said while glaring at her sister.

"Pretty words and diplomacy were always your things, I just like to shoot and punch stuff."

"I'm still worried about all of this, are you sure would don't want to wait further. I know the process in the Senate can be slow but..." Padme started but was cut off by Bo.

"We have waited long enough, Maul has had time to worm his way into Mandalore and consolidate power. The more time he has the harder it would be to force him out."

"I wish I could help you, the 501th would be more than happy to aid you but without the otherization, they cant leave Corousant," Anakin said.

"Doesn't matter, we will have to get an army on our own but before we do any of that we need one thing first," Bo said.

"And what is that?" Padme asked intrigued.

"We need beskar to make me a new set of armor," Satine said. "No one will follow me if don't at least have the armor of our people. The problem is that all remaining Beskar mines are under the control of Mauls Death Watch, the only other source would be the black market but Maul has a hand in that as well."

There was a moment of silence as they all looked at each other trying to come up with a solution until Anakin spoke, an idea coming to his mind, Obi-Wan is not going to be happy with his plan, then again he rarely is.

"We might be able to help with that. It just so happens that Obi-Wan and I know someone with the right connection in the criminal underworld who might be able to get you the beskar you need."

"And who is that?" Satine asked with great interest.

"Yes, who Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked with narrowed eyes, he could guess with certainty about who Anakin is thinking.

"A certain friend of ours," Anakin said and the way he said it made both Kryze sisters raise an eyebrow.

"Who is this friend Obi-Wan?" Satine asked.

"He isn't really a friend, he is more of an unwanted acquaintance," Obi-Wan said with a heavy sigh.