Summary:

The Mandalorians have an election.

Ventress sees green.

Obi-Wan says goodbye to Satine.

Jinn has a heart-to-heart with Obi-Wan.

The team is invited to a ball.

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21.

Jinn was greatly disappointed when he returned to the capital. He discovered that the Mandalorian houses were still arguing about who should be leader. He was hoping they would have chosen someone by now so he could finally leave Mandalore and continue helping Ahsoka and her Captain take down the Sith.

The amber Jedi approached Bo-Katan and asked, "Have they at least picked candidates to vote for?"

She shook her head and replied, "No, they've just been disputing over who should even be considered a candidate."

He rubbed his brow and said, "This is getting nowhere. Suns and moons, how did your sister ever become the leader of Mandalore?"

Bo-Katan said, "At the time, Mandalore was at civil war. The people wanted the fighting to stop, but not to turn our backs on our culture."

Annoyed, Jinn raised his hand and used the Force to absorb all the energy inside the room. The chamber was casted in darkness. His amber eyes glowed gold in the dim. The arguments stopped and the Mandalorians turned to face him.

"Enough."

He then released his fist and the power returned to the lights in the chamber. He stoked closer to the Mandalorians and gave them each a cold stare. He saw fear in their eyes as they stepped away from him. He smiled at their hesitation. He wanted their attention. He ignored Ventress, Ahsoka, Obi-Wan and Satine as they rushed to the door. The three Force-users had felt Jinn's Darkness.

In a civil tone, he said, "Now, let's keep it simple. Step forward if you wish to lead."

One of the house leaders said, "We haven't agreed on the qualifications for a candidate yet."

Jinn said, "The only qualification you need is to be a Mandalorian. Now, step forward if you wish to lead."

The Mandalorians shared a look amongst themselves before four people stepped forward. They lined up in front of the amber Jedi. He examined them carefully and was about to speak, but unexpectedly Satine stepped in line with the others. Jinn gave her a curious look.

"Duchess?"

She glared at him and said, "I refuse to let my people return to a life of war."

He smirked and said, "As you wish, Duchess."

Then, unexpected another candidate joined the line. This time it was a member of Death Watch, Ursa Wren. Her companion, Bo-Katan was surprised.

"Now, each of you will explain why you are the best choice to serve Mandalore to the houses. After that, they will vote for one of you. The one with the most votes shall be leader."

The Duchess couldn't argue against Jinn's plan. Though, she did have a question and said, "Master Jinn, how should the houses cast their vote?"

"We must keep things simple, Duchess. The house leaders will vote by standing beside the person they choose. Would you like to begin?"

The Duchess was startled, but quickly composed herself. She had done many public speeches before, but never in front of so many heads of houses. Many of them were passionate in their warrior ways. In the past, many of them wouldn't have even listened to her speak. She supposed it was the silver lining in Jinn's insurgence. She knew that this was her best hope to unify Mandalore under a banner of peace.

However, Jinn wasn't interested in hearing speeches and took a step back. He joined his friends by the doorway and followed them out into the hall.

Obi-Wan rubbed his beard and said, "I'm impressed that you were able to convince the Mandalorian houses to cooperate."

Jinn shook his head and replied, "It won't last. They'll start fighting again after the vote."

Ahsoka thought Jinn was being pessimistic. She wanted to believe that the Mandalorians would support anyone who got the most votes. She also thought it was important that he let Duchess Satine participate. She knew from their talks that he didn't agree with her pacifism.

Rex asked, "How are you going to get them to stop fighting?"

Jinn heard a commotion coming from the chamber. He smiled at the Captain and said, "Well, you're about to find out."

Rex raised his brow as he and his friends followed Jinn back inside the chamber. As predicted, the Mandalorian head of houses were arguing about the vote. Jinn wasted no time and approached Satine.

Jinn asked, "Who won the vote?"

Satine answered, "Ursa Wren."

Jinn ignited the Darksaber. The hum of the weapon silenced the house leaders. They turned to Jinn and watched as he approached Ursa Wren. He took her hand and placed the ignited Darksaber in her hand. She looked at him and the weapon in shock.

"Ursa Wren, do you swear upon the Darksaber to become Mandalore's sword and shield? To protect the weak and to defend her against her enemies? To promise to step down if you longer follow the will of the people?"

Mesmerized, she said, "Yes, I swear."

Jinn then turned to the house leaders. He drew his black sword from his sheath. The metal sword hissed as it drew free. He turned the blade pointed down in his hand and said, "Now, draw your weapons and swear upon your word as a warrior that you will bring the voice of the people to your leader. That you will guide her and act as her advisor. That you too will protect the weak and defend Mandalore against her enemies."

Bo-Katan drew her blaster and said, "I swear!"

"I swear!" shouted a house leader.

"I swear!" shouted another.

Soon every one of the house leaders drew their weapons and swore. Jinn then sheathed his black sword and turned around to exit the chamber. He did not want to get anymore involved in Mandalorian politics.

"Jinn!" called Bo-Katan. "Wait."

The amber Jedi paused at the doorway. His friends were waiting for him. He waited for Bo-Katan to approached him. He said, "What can I do for you, Miss Kryze?"

"I'm surprised at what you did. I thought you wanted to rule Mandalore yourself."

"I'm not a Mandalorian."

"No, but you're a warrior."

"Miss Kryze, do you know what the difference is between a solider and a warrior?"

She frowned at the question and said, "No, but I have a feeling you're going to tell me."

He said, "For a solider, fighting is something you do. For a warrior, fighting is who they are. It's important that Mandalore discovers who she is by herself."

He was about to head for the door again, but Bo-Katan grabbed his arm and said, "Wait, what about Death Watch?"

Jinn said, "Death Watch can do what it likes."

"You can't leave. You're the leader of Death Watch."

"Death Watch can choose a new leader. Why don't you take the job, if you're so concerned?"

"Me?"

"Why not? But whatever you choose to do, please protect your sister."

XXX

When Jinn returned to his friends, Bo-Katan stopped to admire him. He was strong and handsome. Though, unlike Obi-Wan, he was more warrior than Jedi. She liked the fact that he wasn't afraid to act when it was needed. He handled the heads of houses like a true leader. He didn't bat an eye that Ursa Wren had been nominated. He believed that she could lead Death Watch by herself. His aggressive but fair actions were refreshing and highly attractive.

However, Ventress caught her staring. The ex-assassin gave her a mischievous smirk and wandered closer to Jinn. She kept her eyes trained on Bo-Katan's over Jinn's shoulder as she reached up acrossed the side of his face with the back of her hand. Bo-Katan was shocked by her actions.

In response, Jinn turned to Ventress and asked, "What is it, darling?"

"Nothing, just getting rid of a smudge."

Bo-Katan glared at Ventress for her comment. She was annoyed at the ex-assassin's showy claim on the amber Jedi. Yet, she also respected her too. She didn't know what she'd feel if Jinn was infatuated with someone who wasn't a warrior.

XXX

It wasn't long before everyone agreed it was time to journey back to Coruscant. Satine, Bo-Katan and Ursa Wren were at the landing platform to see them off. Senator Bonteri and her son had already left after she had recovered from her injuries. Obi-Wan watched as his friends said their goodbyes. Though, he was eager to get back. He was worried about Anakin and his progress with tricking Dooku.

However, just as Obi-Wan was about to board the ship, Satine followed him inside the ramp to speak with him.

"Obi, some much has happened in such little time. I wish we had more time together. I'll miss you."

He closed the distance between as they stood alone together on the ship's ramp. "I'll miss you too, Satine."

Impulsively, he reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face. He hesitated as his hand touched her skin. Satine reached up to take his hand. She turned her face to kiss his palm. Obi-Wan's heart fluttered at the contact. Their eyes met and they closed the distance between them and kissed.

Obi-Wan knew that he shouldn't. He knew it was cruel to show such affection when he wasn't allowed to give it. Yet, because of Jinn, he knew that the possibility of breaking the code might be in his future. His heart raced with the possibilities of love and family. He didn't know if Satine was meant to be his, but he couldn't think of no one else he cared for more than her.

Satine sensed something was wrong when Obi-Wan didn't immediately pull away. He held her close and buried his face into her shoulder.

"Satine, you know how I feel about you, don't you?"

She stepped away from him and cupped his face. "Yes, but I can't ask you to do something I can't do myself."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes against the feelings that threatened to overwhelm him. He knew Satine was right. They were both committed to their causes. Their different beliefs had torn them apart.

"Still, it doesn't change how I feel. Do you think perhaps someday if things were different?"

She shook her head and said, "Please, Obi. Don't."

He lowered his gaze and said, "Yes, you're right. Forget I said anything. May the Force be with you, Satine."

Obi-Wan turned to make his way deeper into the ship. Meanwhile, Satine watched him go and said, "And may the Force be with you, Obi."

XXX

Obi-Wan left the clones to handle the trip back to Coruscant. He didn't feel much like company, not after what he said to Satine. He found an empty cabin and sat down on the bunk with his head buried in his hands. He tried to release his feelings into the Force, but hope made his feelings raw.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Obi-Wan tried to collect himself and went to answer it. He saw that it was Jinn.

"Do you have a moment?"

Obi-Wan allowed him in and said, "Please, what can I do for you?"

Jinn entered the cabin and shut the door behind him. He turned to face Obi-Wan and reached for the chair beside the desk and sat in front of him. Jinn anxiously grabbed the hilt of his sword as he turned to look away from him.

Obi-Wan noticed and said, "Do you always reach for your sword when you're nervous?"

Jinn released it and said, "Unfortunately, yes. It's a bad habit."

"What do you want, Jinn?"

"I wanted to let you know that I heard you while you were saying your goodbyes to Satine. I wanted to let you know that I'm here for you. If you need someone to talk to, I'll listen. You may not be my father, but you are my family. Your happiness is my happiness, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan was touched by Jinn's words. He couldn't remember the last time he confided his feelings to someone. The last person was probably Master Qui-Gon. Though, Obi-Wan realized something he hadn't noticed before.

"You're named after Master Qui-Gon Jinn, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Then why isn't your first name, Qui-Gon?"

"Mother didn't like it. Jinn was a compromise."

Obi-Wan shook his head and said, "Satine isn't your mother."

"No."

"So, you'd rather I be with your mother."

Jinn sat back in his chair and casually crossed his legs while rubbing his beard. Obi-Wan knew his own habits well enough to recognize them. It was a little unsettling. Obi-Wan sat back down on the bunk.

"It's your life, Obi-Wan. I'm not going to tell you who to love and who not to love. I'm not going to tell you to break the code or not break the code. As far as I'm concerned, your love life plays no part in whether you are a great Jedi or not. To be honest, I always thought the code of non-attachments created more Sith then prevented them."

"How? You know attachments can lead to darker feelings."

"No man is an island. We're social creatures. Feelings like love are bound to happen. Sometimes we're disappointed when our feelings aren't returned. It's important to learn from bad experiences so we can grow."

Obi-Wan said, "Your advice is surprisingly mature."

Jinn resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Of course, he was mature. He was 60 years old. He wasn't exactly old by his standards, but he wasn't young. He was almost twice as old as Obi-Wan was in this timeline. He just happened to look the same age as Obi-Wan because of his mixed bloodline. However, Jinn didn't want to explain his genetics and instead brushed off the comment.

"Tell me, do you love Satine?"

"Yes, I told her once that if she asked me, I would leave the Order for her."

"Sounds like you put her on the spot."

Obi-Wan shook his head and said, "No, I wanted the decision to be up to her."

Jinn said, "Don't take this the wrong way, but that doesn't sound very fair to Satine. What if she said yes, but your relationship didn't work out? She might blame herself for making you miserable."

Obi-Wan paused. He hadn't considered that. He had no idea that he had put Satine in such a position. He thought he had done the right thing but asking her if she wanted him.

"Then, what would you have said?"

Jinn stared off into the distance and said, "Our circumstances are different, Obi-Wan. I don't follow the code. I'm not a Jedi. The question you asked Satine, you should have asked yourself. Are you willing to leave the Order for her?"

"What if Satine doesn't want me?"

"Ask her."

"I thought you said I should answer my own question."

Jinn narrowed his brow at Obi-Wan and said, "It's not the same question." He then turned away from him and said, "Ask her if you left, would she, have you? If you had no home, no title, no position-would you be enough?"

Obi-Wan uncomfortably looked away and said, "I don't know if I have the courage to ask her, Jinn."

"Well, my advice is you shouldn't live with regrets. Ask her and then decide. I know you have responsibilities. Your choice would affect other people, but if the people in your life love you, then they'll want you to be happy and support you. For what it's worth, whatever you want to do, I'll support you."

XXX

When the team finally arrived back on Coruscant, they were greeted by Anakin. The Jedi Knight was relieved to see his friends were all safe. He was especially worried about Padme. He wanted to run up and hug her but knew that he couldn't. He had to pretend he wasn't married. He wasn't supposed to form attachments.

"I'm glad you are all back in one piece."

Obi-Wan said, "We're glad to be back, Anakin. So, what did we miss?"

Anakin sighed and said, "Unfortunately our little trick didn't work."

Ahsoka asked, "What happened?"

Anakin frowned and said, "I guess I wasn't too convincing. However, I have more bad news."

Obi-Wan said, "What kind of bad news?"

The Jedi Knight replied, "Our friend somehow managed to escape. I've been trying to track him down since it happened. However, that's not the worst of it."

The group paused and turned to face Anakin. Obi-Wan couldn't imagine anything worse than Dooku escaping. He waited for Anakin to reply. The Jedi Knight nervously rubbed the back of his neck. Obi-Wan figured it must really be something terrible to make his former-Padawan so anxious.

"We're all invited to a ball. It's a charitable fund raiser for the war effort."

Padme laughed and said, "Oh, Ani. The way you were holding your breath I thought it was something serious."

He said, "Padme, this is serious. You know how much I don't like parties. It's just endless talking to stuffy politicians."

Obi-Wan rubbed his face and said, "You never cease to amaze me, Anakin."

Anakin said, "Oh, come on. Jinn, you agree with me, right?"

The amber Jedi smiled and said, "Sorry Anakin but I happen to like a good gala. It's full of good food and good music. You should really consider taking up dancing, like sparring, it's a form of foreplay."

In response, Obi-Wan, Anakin and Rex were mortified. Meanwhile, Ahsoka and Padme were both giggling. Ventress reached out to grab Jinn's arm.

"Come on, Jedi. Let's go see how your clones are doing."

Ventress didn't wait for Jinn to response. She just started pulling him away. He didn't resist, but Ahsoka heard him tell her, "Don't worry, darling. You're my only dance partner."

XXX

TBC

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