Thank you to the 16 people who reviewed the last chapter. You guys are the greatest. This chapter is going to cover "The Mandalore Plot" episode and it will be extremely AU as usual. Another note, I spelled Satine's last name wrong in the last chapter; it's actually Kryze so sorry about that. I hope that you like it and reviews, as always, are much appreciated.
Chapter 30
Sundari was just as Obi-Wan remembered it; a vast black-colored dome surrounded by a white-sand desert on the outside and a city comprised of a complex series of rectangular or cube-shaped buildings constructed in close quarters with sheets of class that were either translucent or transparent in the inside. These structures rose up from the ground and hung from the dome's vaulted ceiling and the skylanes were filled with airspeeders that wove between Sundari's glass towers.
Jenica stared out through the tranparasteel viewports of the small Republic cruiser that Obi-Wan was guiding toward the landing pad. He thought about his most recent meeting with the Jedi Council; he had known his trip to Mandalore would be coming up because, the first time around, he had gone to Mandalore not long after Anakin and Ahsoka rescued the children from Mustafar. What he did not expect was the Council asking Jenica to accompany him; he probably should have expected it because the only reason Jenica had not gone with him was because she hadn't been Obi-Wan's apprentice the first time around.
Obi-Wan landed the cruiser on the pad thinking about when he first met the current duchess of Mandalore, Satine Kryze. He and Qui-Gon, whil he was still an apprentice, had rescued and protected Satine. Back then, he had thought she was beautiful but he only saw her as a friend and those feelings hadn't changed in the years it has been since he last saw her. That being said, he wondered if Satine had changed at all since he last saw her but he decided that he would focus on the task at hand.
"Come along, Padawan," he said glancing at Jenica as he shut down the main engines and made his way out of the cruiser with his apprentice just behind him. Jenica was examining everything with curiosity in her eyes; she's never been to Mandalore before so Obi-Wan supposed it was a sight to behold.
One of the guards on the platform walked over to join him. "Master Jedi," the guard greeted Obi-Wan. "Duchess Satine is expecting you. Please come with us."
Obi-Wan glanced at Jenica. "Do you sense anything wrong, Jenica?" he asked softly as he began walking after the guards. He knew they wouldn't try anything, they hadn't the first time around, but he decided to let Jenica do something to better hone her Force abilities.
"No master," Jenica said after she stretched out with the Force.
"Good. Let's go meet Duchess Satine." Obi-Wan and Jenica climbed into the back of the speeder the guards had guided them. The guards started it up before flying it toward the palace that rose up in the distance. Obi-Wan observed the towering glass towers, the skylanes filled with speeders and the people along the walkways. Nothing had changed since the last time Obi-Wan visited Mandalore but he didn't expect anything to change.
The speeder flew to a stop at the docking bay outside the palace. The guards stepped out of it before guiding Obi-Wan and Jenica into the palace. He was met by the familiar form of Prime Minister Almec, a tall Mandalorian with violet eyes.
"Thank you for meeting with us, Prime Minister," Obi-Wan greeted the Prime Minister.
Almec inclined his head in greeting. "Master Jedi," he greeted him. "I welcome you as a servant of the people but I am troubled by the false rumors that brought you here."
"Evidence suggests that these rumors may not be false," Obi-Wan said calmly inclining his head in polite greeting and Jenica followed suit but remained silent. "We are only here to determine whether they are true or not."
"Prime Minister."
Almec glanced up and Obi-Wan followed his gaze as Duchess Satine Kryze, a slender woman with short blonde hair, walked over to join them. "Duchess Satine," Almec greeted her inclining his head respectfully.
Satine glanced at Obi-Wan. "Well, Master Kenobi, my shining Jedi Knight to the rescue once again," she said.
Obi-Wan inclined his head in greeting. "It has been a while, Duchess," he said.
"You two know each other, Master?" Jenica asked confused.
Obi-Wan glanced at the dark-haired apprentice. "Back when I was an apprentice, my master and I rescued the duchess and then protected her for a while," he explained. "We grew into fast friends."
"Who might this be, Master Kenobi?" Satine asked curiously.
Obi-Wan glanced back at the duchess. "Duchess, this is my apprentice Jenica Narak," he said.
"Pleased to meet you, Duchess Satine," Jenica said politely holding out a hand toward Satine. The duchess took her hand and shook it in greeting.
"And I you, Jenica," she said.
"You know why we are here, Satine," Obi-Wan said deciding to get straight to the reason why they were on Mandalore.
"Yes I know," Satine said softly. "These rumors are false, Obi-Wan."
"This," Obi-Wan pulled out his datapad before showing Satine the hologram of the Mandalorian attacking a Republic cruiser, "suggests otherwise."
Satine observed the hologram. "I did not order that attack, Master Jedi," she said before she straightened up. "Come, why don't I give you and your apprentice a tour of the city? We can discuss this more during the tour."
"Very well, Duchess." Obi-Wan put the datapad away before he and Satine, with Jenica just behind them, walked toward the nearest walkway.
Obi-Wan only half-listened to Satine as she pointed out several landmarks, landmarks that Obi-Wan remembered from the last time, and discussed them. Jenica was listening intently to the duchess while Obi-Wan only listened just in case Satine mentioned something that she never mentioned the first time around. He also listened to refresh his memory on what he learned the first time around since it had been a while.
"We have discovered some rogue Mandalorians known as Death Watch, Obi-Wan," Satine said pulling Obi-Wan from his thoughts. "They are opposed to my desire to remain neutral and at peace. I've been trying to root them out for years and we've finally managed to track them to Concordia."
"Maybe this Death Watch is behind the attack on the Republic cruiser," Jenica suggested.
Obi-Wan stroked his beard. "It is possible," he said though he knew it was more than just possible, it was true.
Count Dooku observed the hologram of Pre Vizsla, the leader of Death Watch and governor of the Concordian moon, as he stood in front of him. Vizsla had just informed him that a Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi if Vizsla's description was anything to go by, had arrived on Mandalore. That didn't upset him in the least because he suspected that the Jedi would send someone.
"I do not understand why the arrival of this Jedi doesn't upset you. You promised to support the Death Watch forces so that we can overthrow the Duchess Satine and her weak peace-loving government."
"And I intend to keep my promise," Dooku responded calmly.
"But how? If the Republic interferes now then Death Watch will not be able to take over the planet."
Dooku was silent for a moment. "Consider," he said finally, "once the Senate orders peace-keeping troops to Mandalore, the people will be surrounded by a military presence. Most distasteful. They will rebel."
Dooku could feel Vizsla's realization through the Force. "And rally the Death watch. Our insurgence will grow stronger," Vizsla said.
"Yes and Duchess Satine will fall," said Dooku calmly.
Obi-Wan was gazing around the garden while Jenica kept Satine busy by asking her questions about Sundari and Mandalore in general. He remembered that the first time around, there had been an explosion caused by a member of Death Watch and when they attempted to catch the member, he had preferred to commit suicide. Whether things would happen as they did last time or not, Obi-Wan did not know but he was preparing himself nevertheless.
Jenica jumped when the explosion sounded sending shockwaves through the ground and jarring Obi-Wan's ears. He, Satine and Jenica dashed toward the location of the explosion although he gazed around trying to find the man he had seen fleeing the scene the first time around. He did see the hologram of Death Watch's crest though just like last time and Jenica was the one that pointed it out to Satine who confirmed that it was Death Watch's crest.
"Stay here with Satine, Jenica," Obi-Wan ordered finally spotting the man just as he fled in the same direction he had gone the first time around.
Obi-Wan, determined to heed him off, dashed after him before taking a more roundabout way to the balcony where he and Satine had found the man last time. He had, technically, gone in a complete circle to appear in front of the man but the Force helped him get to the balcony at the same time as the man. He hoped that the man would think he had outrun Obi-Wan and slow down. That way, Obi-Wan could capture him before he leapt off the balcony like the first time around.
Sure enough, the man slowed down glancing over his shoulder and only when he glanced back did he notice Obi-Wan was practically on top of him until he was on the ground. He glared up at Obi-Wan and spat out a series of curses in the Concordian dialect.
"You seemed in a hurry," Obi-Wan said. "Guilty conscience, perhaps?"
The man snarled in fury.
"Where you the one that was responsible for that explosion?"
The man remained silent.
He honestly didn't think it would be that easy. "Well, I suppose we'll just have Duchess Satine's guards interrogate you," he said grabbing the man's arm and pulling him to his feet.
"Who's this, Obi-Wan?" Satine asked arriving at that moment with Jenica just behind her.
"Was anyone injured in that explosion?" Obi-Wan asked instead.
"No one was injured seriously, master," Jenica said glancing at the man curiously.
"I caught this man fleeing the scene. It was suspicious so I went after him," Obi-Wan said casually.
Satine turned her gaze to the man. "Did you cause that explosion?"
The man sneered and spat out something in the Concordian dialect.
Satine narrowed her eyes. "Who sent you?" she asked softly.
The man remained silent.
"My lady, are you all right?" one of the Mandalorian guards demanded running up.
Satine glanced at the guard. "I am fine. Master Kenobi stated that this man fled the scene after the explosion and that is a bit suspicious."
"Shall we arrest him, my lady?"
"Yes please do."
Obi-Wan handed the member of Death Watch to the guards before watching as a couple of them took him and began walking away while the rest of the guards remained around them to protect the duchess. He then glanced at Satine whose eyes were narrowed. "His dialect clearly suggests he was from Concordia," she said glancing at Obi-Wan.
"But why would they do this?" Jenica asked.
"That we do not know," Obi-Wan said. "Our clue seems to lie on Concordia."
Satine was silent for a long moment. "Governor Pre Vizsla should probably be told of what happened since this man did come from Concordia," she said.
"Governor?" echoed Jenica.
"The moon of Concordia is its own province," Satine explained, "Therefore it has its own governor."
"So what do we do?" asked Jenica.
"Let us go to Concordia so that I can speak with Governor Pre Vizsla," Satine suggested before glancing at Obi-Wan. "Unless you have another idea, Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, your plan seems best Duchess," he replied politely remembering that something similar had happened the first time around.
Satine nodded before she walked away from the balcony and Obi-Wan and Jenica followed her.
"Master?" Jenica whispered.
"Yes Jenica?"
"I think the Duchess likes you."
Obi-Wan stopped, looked at his apprentice and raised his eyebrows. "And what brought you to that conclusion, Padawan?" he asked even though he knew that Jenica was right. Satine did like him, she liked him when he and Qui-Gon first protected her and he could feel that she still liked him. He hoped it wasn't anything more than that though; he loved Siri and he only saw Satine as a friend but he didn't want to hurt her if she really did like him as more than a friend.
Jenica glanced at Satine who had stopped near a speeder to wait for them to join her. "Just the way she keeps looking at you, master, and I can, sorta, feel it in the Force," she said. She blushed before adding, "I'm sorry that…"
"It's all right, Padawan," said Obi-Wan since he had a feeling he knew what his Padawan was going to say.
She went on to say it though. "But it was rude, master."
"Sometimes, it is hard to control what you feel and what you don't especially when you've only had training for a couple of months, Jenica. Do not worry about it but I would recommend that you don't reveal what you felt to anyone else."
"I understand master."
The trip to Concordia was undertaken in silence most of the time although Satine did explain about how Concordia used to be an argricultural world until they discovered the mines were destroying the forests and they stopped it. After that, all three of them went silent.
Jenica spent most of her time trying to stop accidentally feeling Satine's emotions but they were so strong that she was surprised Obi-Wan didn't feel them. However, she didn't want to ask because her master had told her that it would be best to not tell anyone about what she felt and Satine was in the shuttle with them. She could also tell that her master was deep in thought with the way he sat in the co-pilot's seat eyes narrowed as he caressed his beard and watched the Concordian moon steadily grow larger in the viewports of the shuttle. Satine was also silent looking as deep in thought as Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan pulled himself from his thoughts as the shuttle entered the Concordian atmosphere and flew toward a nearby landing pad. He glanced at Jenica and for a long moment studied her as if attempting to figure out something. "Jenica," he said softly, "I want you to stay with Satine at all times. Understand?"
"Yes master but…?"
"No 'buts', Padawan. Just stay with Satine."
"Yes master." Jenica didn't know why her master was asking that of her but she figured if it was important for her to know then he would have told her the real reason why she was being asked to stay with Satine.
Satine landed on the landing pad before shutting down the main engines and getting to her feet. "Ready to go, Master Kenobi?" she asked.
Obi-Wan nodded before glancing at Jenica who stood up and the two of them followed the Duchess out of the ship. Governor Pre Vizsla, a tall Mandalorian with blue eyes, met them on the landing pad with a couple of Mandalorian bodyguards behind him.
"Duchess Satine, welcome," Vizsla greeted them pleasantly but Jenica found she didn't like him at all. She glanced at Obi-Wan who was watching Vizsla with slightly narrowed eyes.
Vizsla then glanced at Obi-Wan and Jenica and Obi-Wan's eyes cleared of the distrust that she had barely noticed in their gray-blue depths. "And two Jedi, this is a surprise," he said.
"This is Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Jenica," Satine said gesturing to Obi-Wan and Jenica.
"It is very nice to meet you, Governor," Obi-Wan replied politely.
"Pleasure is all mine, Master Jedi," the Governor responded in a polite tone but another emotion was veiled beneath the politeness in his voice. "Come, let us go. I will have chambers prepared for you three right away and then, perhaps, you will join me for a drink Duchess."
"Perhaps," Satine replied calmly before watching as Vizsla walked away.
"Satine, I need you to do a favor for me and keep Vizsla occupied," Obi-Wan said calmly causing Satine to look at him.
"What are you going to do?" she asked.
"Just for a quick look around," Obi-Wan replied with a shrug before pulling an earpiece from his utility belt. "Take this earpiece so that we can stay in contact just in case."
Satine took the earpiece before narrowing her eyes. "Just remember, Master Kenobi, you are here under my protection. Please do not create any problems where there currently aren't any."
Obi-Wan smiled faintly. "I shall, Duchess. Jenica, remember what I told you onboard the shuttle. I will be back as soon as possible."
"Master I can help you," Jenica said. She didn't like that her master wanted her to remain with Satine instead of helping him even though she thought he might need her help.
"Jenica," said Obi-Wan calmly, "it should not take me too long to figure this out and I feel it is more important for you to be near Satine. That way, the governor will not be too suspicious. Do you not think he will be suspicious if both Jedi go missing all of a sudden?"
Jenica thought about her master's words for a minute and realized he was right. "You're right, master, but what if something happens?"
Obi-Wan smiled faintly. "Then try not to let our duchess here do something foolish and reckless. I can take care of myself," he said calmly.
Jenica nodded. "Yes master."
"Be careful, Obi-Wan," Satine said firmly as she gently put the earpiece into her ear. "And just a reminder, I am opposed to all of this."
"I will and I would be disappointed if you weren't," he replied before making his way toward the nearest speeder bike.
Obi-Wan decided he would head straight toward the mine he had found last time but this time he took a more indirect route. He wasn't about to get himself captured by Mandalorian guards because he didn't want his apprentice and his friend to be put in danger if they were to come after him. Jenica wasn't as reckless as Anakin but she was good at obeying orders and, because of that, she probably would not leave Satine's side and Satine had gone after him the first time around so it made sense she would do so again if he got captured.
It was a very good thing he knew of where the Mandalorians would be placed so that he could avoid them and get deeper into the mine. He already knew that Pre Vizsla was behind the attack and was the leader of Death Watch but he needed proof; his word wouldn't be enough. The only problem was that the last time Pre Vizsla was revealed as the leader of Death Watch because Obi-Wan had been captured but he knew there had to be another way to get Pre Vizsla to reveal himself.
Obi-Wan leapt off the speeder bike when he was a couple of meters from the entrance to the mine. Instead of making his way into the mine, he walked toward the jagged crags that lay perpendicular to the mine. He remembered that beyond the crags was Death Watch's base as ghe had seen them when he and Satine had left the mine and he wouldn't be lying if he said he would prefer to just head straight to the base rather than risk getting captured again.
Especially if it prevented Satine and Jenica from getting into trouble.
Only trouble with that was how was Obi-Wan supposed to prove that Pre Vizsla was behind Death Watch's formation if he couldn't draw Vizsla out?
Obi-Wan sighed inwardly. This was getting all the more complicated with each passing day and each passing mission that he had the opportunity to change. Not to mention, it wasn't exactly pleasant getting captured the first time and Obi-Wan did not want to get captured again. There had to be some way he could get Vizsla to come out without involving Satine and Jenica.
But how?
Obi-Wan thought about last time and remembered that Vizsla had come around the first time because he had been captured but if the members of Death Watch were to inform him that a Jedi had found his secret base and was loose somewhere in the base then he would have to come to check it out for himself.
Wouldn't he?
Obi-Wan decided he would risk it.
"And where might Master Kenobi be?" Pre Vizsla asked as Satine sat at the table with Jenica at her side.
"He wished to meditate before joining us, Governor Vizsla," Jenica replied politely inclining her head before Satine could say anything.
Vizsla narrowed his eyes as he placed a drink in front of Satine. "Very well. We shall wait for him. Would you like a drink, Master Jedi?"
"No thank you."
Vizsla walked to the bar before filling his glass. As he did so, Satine leaned over. "Can you sense what Master Kenobi is doing?" she asked. "He wasn't very specific."
"I don't know, Duchess," Jenica whispered back.
Satine, eyes narrowed slightly, leaned back into her seat. "It is surprising," she said, "that someone is managing to get these rumors into the Galactic Senate. Who could possible benefit from going against me?"
"Death Watch apparently," Vizsla replied sipping at his drink.
"Is it possible that Death Watch is working for the Separatists?" Jenica asked curiously.
Satine frowned. "Why would they work with the Separatists? It makes no sense."
"In a way, they do have a common enemy in this case, Duchess," Vizsla said. "Especially if Death Watch really wants to see your downfall."
"Why would the Separatists concern themselves with me?"
"You are the leader of the Neutral Planets, Duchess. That, in itself, poses a threat to the Separatist's plans."
Satine was silent for a long moment. "I do not, and will not, be drawn into this war," she said sternly.
Jenica.
Yes Master? Jenica responded as she listened to Satine and Vizsla continue to talk.
Keep an eye on Vizsla. Something is not right with him.
I have been sensing that for a while, Master. I think he's hiding something but I don't know what.
Neither do I. And remember, stay with Satine no matter what happens.
I understand master.
Vizsla took another sip of his drink examining Satine before he transferred his eyes to Jenica. "Are you all right, Master Jedi?" he asked.
"I'm fine, Governor," Jenica replied a bit too quickly.
Vizsla narrowed his eyes.
"Perhaps she is just tired," Satine suggested. "She has had a pretty trying day and she is only an apprentice."
"Would you like to go rest then, Master Jedi?" asked Vizsla.
"No sir, I am all right," Jenica replied.
"Very well. I think I will go check to see what is keeping our dinner," Vizsla said getting to his feet and walking away from the table. Once he was gone, Satine sighed before touching her ear.
"He just left, Obi-Wan," she said softly.
There was a moment of silence.
Satine glanced at Jenica. "Your master told me to remind you that you are to remain with me," she said.
Jenica sighed. "He seems to think I'm going to pull an Anakin," she said.
"Anakin?"
"Master Obi-Wan's first apprentice. He was, still is, rather reckless and tended to do things before he thought them through at least that is what Master Obi-Wan told me," Jenica explained.
"I see."
Jenica felt her master's danger in the Force and she stretched out with the Force toward him. Are you sure you don't need any help, master? She sent through their master/apprentice bond.
No I am fine, Jenica.
Are you sure?
Yes I am sure, Padawan.
Obi-Wan didn't need any help only because he avoided being captured like the first time around. He also still had his lightsaber with him so he could block the blaster bolts the members of Death Watch were tossing at him. All he was doing now was waiting for Vizsla to show up and hoping there was some way to prove that Vizsla was behind Death Watch.
A recording would do.
Obi-Wan dived behind a piece of broken wall before pulling out his comlink. He set it to record before slipping it back into his utility belt making sure it was facing to where it would hear Vizsla clearly when he arrived.
"I think we should bring the Jedi before the commander. Let's see what the commander wants to be done with him," one member of Death Watch said before he activated his jetpack and flew over to the broken wall Obi-Wan was crouched behind.
When he landed, Obi-Wan lashed out in a Force push that sent the Death Watch member into another knocking them both to the ground. He ignited his lightsaber and deflected the blaster bolts back at the Mandalorians before ducking behind another stone.
That was when Vizsla arrived. "Is the Jedi dead?" he demanded.
"No sir. He escaped."
"Failure," Vizsla snarled shooting the Mandalorian.
Obi-Wan grimaced; that was one of the things he disliked about Pre Vizsla the first time around and that feeling of dislike came back full force at seeing Vizsla, again, carelessly taking the lives of one of his men.
Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber before stepping out from behind the stone wall. "Who are you?" he asked.
The leader laughed. "I am determined to bring about the old age of the Mandalorians. Once we were a proud warrior race who fought against the Jedi but that woman, Satine, tarnished our reputation and it is about time the warriors of old came back." Without another thought, he removed the helmet to reveal that it was, indeed, Pre Vizsla.
"Governor Pre Vizsla, this is a surprise," Obi-Wan said calmly but loud enough for the recorder, which was being fed directly to the earpiece he had given Satine, to hear.
"Satine shall fall, Jedi," Vizsla said coolly, "but you shall die first. That way, without you to protect her, she will die along with your apprentice."
Obi-Wan, eyes narrowed, simply held his lightsaber in his hand. "And what makes you think I will let you kill them?" he asked.
"You will not have a choice. Defend her and your Padawan if you must but I will not lose." Vizsla ignited his darksaber. "My ancestors took this from the Jedi Temple when the old republic fell. Many Jedi have died upon this blade and now you shall be added to that number."
Obi-Wan fell into the Soresu ready stance and waited for Vizsla to strike first.
Jenica did not like waiting; it was one of the things she disliked the most. She knew her master was in danger and yet her orders forced her to remain with Satine in the dining hall even though she wanted to go and help her master. Her master had sensed her worry and frustration earlier and had reminded her that duty must come first as Ferus had after Durd's base of operations blew up on Lanteeb with Obi-Wan and Siri still inside. She knew her master was right and did her best to release her frustration into the Force; it wasn't as easy as she thought it would be but she managed to do it.
Satine was silent staring at the table. "I can't believe Governor Vizsla is the leader of Death Watch," she whispered.
"It is surprising," Jenica said. "I knew something was wrong but I didn't expect this."
Satine shook her head before gazing at the windows of the dining hall and then sighing. "Let's hope Master Kenobi will be all right," she said.
"If I know my master, he'll be fine." She hoped at least.
Vizsla was as tough an opponent as he was when they fought the first time around but Obi-Wan had the advantage of knowing the way he fought last time. It helped him even if some of the attacks Vizsla did were not the same as they were the first time around; in all honesty, Obi-Wan wasn't surprised by that. It wasn't the first time that's occurred; Dooku on Geonosis and Cad Bane when he stole the holocron were but a few examples of a person's dueling technique or plan not being the same as the first time.
At the very least, Obi-Wan did manage to stop Satine from getting in the middle of this affair like she had last time.
Vizsla, snarling when he realized he wasn't getting any closer to defeating Obi-Wan, attacked viciously but Obi-Wan blocked each blow of the darksaber. When Vizsla flew toward him in his jetpack, he leapt into the air and aimed a solid kick into Vizsla's chest sending him flying into his companions.
"Take care of him," the coward shouted.
And that is my cue to leave, Obi-Wan thought dodging the rockets that soared at him and, when they turned around to come at him again, he dashed toward the crags and leapt over them when the rockets were close enough to where they wouldn't have time to change direction when he went over the crags. He crouched near his speeder back as the rockets exploded against the crags knocking rocks and sediment to the ground.
Obi-Wan breathed. "Well, that certainly went a bit better than last time," he said quietly to himself.
"What if Death Watch really is working for the Separatists, master?" Jenica asked a few days later as they prepared to join Satine on her ship that would be traveling to Coruscant. Anakin would be joining them for 'escort duty' in a little bit as Obi-Wan could see him speaking with the clones that had come with him.
"You know that this may be true, Satine," Obi-Wan said glancing at the Duchess who had overheard Jenica's question and stopped walking.
"I do not want to be drawn into this war, Obi-Wan," she replied.
"I am afraid that that may no longer be an option, Satine."
Satine's eyes narrowed. "I thought you, of all people, would understand my position," she began.
"I do understand your position," Obi-Wan interrupted. "All I am trying to say is that while you may not wish to be drawn into this war, this war is being drawn to you. Do you really think Death Watch is just going to stop because you don't want to fight this war? You need to understand, Duchess, the people don't ask for war and sometimes it is inevitable."
"We have worked too hard for peace on Mandalore," Satine snapped, "and I will not involve myself in this war and lose that peace." Without waiting for a reply, she turned around and began making her way toward the Coronet head held high.
Anakin walked over to join them at that moment. "Reporting for escort duty," he said as he came to a stop in front of them.
"I am glad to see you, Anakin," Obi-Wan greeted his former apprentice.
"You look tired, Obi-Wan," Anakin replied.
"These peaceful talks have been tiresome is all," Obi-Wan replied. "Come, let us get onboard. Jenica, you can go on ahead if you want."
"Yes master." Jenica turned around and jogged her way into the ship.
"You know, master, Siri wanted to come on this mission," Anakin said quietly and causally.
"Why didn't she?"
"Another mission." Anakin shrugged. "Bet she would have like some more time with you though. You should probably spend some alone time with her when we return to the temple."
"Are you ever going to stop teasing me, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked raising his eyebrows.
"Doubt it."
Obi-Wan sighed. "Well, do remember that I can always get you back. Now let's get going before someone walks by and overhears us." He had already made sure no one was within earshot before he started talking and he was pretty sure Anakin did the same thing.
"All right master."
A/n what do you think?
Blaze: and that was the ten page AU version of "The Mandalore Plot". The next chapter shall follow "Voyage of Temptation"
Darth: yup
Anakin: some more adventures for Obi-Wan and his mistress
Siri: MISTRESS! (Ignites lightsaber and glares at Obi-Wan)
Obi-Wan: Satine is not my mistress
Anakin: okay fine, your girlfriend then
Siri: (advances on Obi-Wan)
Obi-Wan: she is not my girlfriend!
Anakin: (laughs) yeah, I'm just kidding Siri. Obi's all yours.
Siri: (deactivates lightsaber) that's what I thought
Obi-Wan: (sighs with relief) And Padmé's looking for you Ani
Anakin: don't call me Ani!
Obi-Wan: well don't call me Obi!
Blaze: (laughs) please review and I will post chapter 31 as soon as I possibly can but I doubt it'll be anytime soon and I really hope that you like this chapter despite changing practically everything that was in the episode.