Hey, this is the most AU this story has gotten as of late; we hardly see much of what was in the episode in this chapter. We're getting farther and farther away from the original plot line.

I wonder how that will effect things in the long run... ;)

It just took me four stinking days to write this lol. My life hast been hectic.

But I'm Still Here! (Good Song by the way. Treasure Planet lol)

Sorry! Off Topic! Focusing!

Sooooo, Please Please Review...

The Mortis Arc starts after chapter 23 if I'm correct: AND I CAN'T WAIT! I'M DYING TO DO THAT ARC!

Ehem...

Enjoy!

"Tell me again, how did you wiggle your way into this Zee?"

Zelina chuckled, leaning forward in her seat so that she could address Anakin's question directly. "It was simple; I simply said that I felt I could be of help and that while I was here I could use that meditative retreat Obi-Wan has been pressuring me to take. With Mandalore's neutral, peaceful tendencies, I said that it was the perfect place to take a step back and do some healthy meditating."

Anakin rolled his eyes. "And yet I get the feeling that you have no interest on doing so. Help, yes, meditate? No."

Ahsoka chipped in. "I assume this is still my mission though."

Zelina held up her hands in surrender. "Hey, you have your orders, and I have my motives elsewhere."

Anakin shook his head at Zelina's choice of words, angling the ship into the atmosphere of Mandalore as he spoke. "The Jedi Council has given you a mission Ahsoka; it's your duty to see it through."

"Don't you think I'm just a little overqualified for this?" Ahsoka asked in a demeaning tone.

"According to Senator Amidala Mandalore is a deeply corrupt world. If the cycle is to be broken the leaders at the royal academy of government must learn the evils of corruption. Yoda feels that only a young Padawan like you can get through to them," Anakin explained patiently.

Zelina nodded. "Besides, Mandalore harbors many surprises, and I'm sure will keep you busier than you expect to be," Zelina said with a chuckle. She glanced at Anakin and gave him a small smile. It was nice to see him teaching someone like Ahsoka, though she couldn't help but agree with Padme some days that it was a surprise that the Council had let him teach. Still, he was a great teacher for Ahsoka, and he was sure that no one could have taught her any better than Anakin could.

As for Mandalore, it had been some time since Zelina had been there. She was fully welcoming to the idea of seeing Satine again, and she liked the more relaxing nature of this world than the current war that was raging. It was hard not to.

Zelina stood up before Anakin even settled the ship, stretching with a yawn as he gently coasted into place. "Come on you two; I know you have to be somewhere else Ani, so we might as well get the formalities over with."

Anakin powered down the ship with a sigh. "You're pretty eager to get on with this mission, aren't you Zee?"

Zelina grinned at him. "You have no idea."

Anakin smiled a little, standing up. "All right, we're coming."

Zelina sighed, rolling her shoulders as they descended the ramp beside Anakin. Ahsoka trailed behind them, sticking closer to Anakin subconsciously as they approached the figures that were waiting for them on the other side of the landing platform.

Zelina smiled as she spotted Satine in the early Mandalore morning, dressed in her traditional Duchess robes and standing elegantly beside the Prime Minister. They were flanked by Satine's personal guards, and Zelina could see a small group of cadets standing behind them, just barely in sight.

"Duchess Satine," Anakin greeted her graciously, taking Satine's hand in his and giving it a respectful and reserved kiss only a married man could give before he stepped away. He turned to look at the Prime Minister who stood beside Satine. "Prime Minister Almec."

"Master Skywalker, it's so good to see you again; and you too Master Du'ahn," Satine said with a broad smile. Zelina returned the Duchess' grin and inclined her head.

"Duchess; it's good to see you too," she said, following her words up with a deep and sincere bow. She could practically feel Anakin's raised eyebrow gaze. She was never that respectful to the Chancellor, and she knew that was what he was thinking. She ignored him; she didn't really want to bring the Chancellor into all this. The tension between the two of them had been steadily increasing, and Anakin was neither oblivious nor immune to it. Zelina refused to bring him into the conflict, though it seemed that was not below the Chancellor.

But, as she'd said, she didn't want to bring the Chancellor into all of this; this was supposed to be a relaxing mission that was actually hidden under the pretense of a meditative retreat. She fully intended to lend her services to Satine in any way that the Duchess deemed necessary.

Satine gave Zelina a small bow of the head to show her own respect before she turned back to Anakin, nodding towards Ahsoka. "This is your Padawan, I assume?"

"Yes Milady," Anakin said promptly, stepping aside to allow Ahsoka a spot between him and Zelina. "May I present Ahsoka Tano."

"Duchess, Prime Minister," Ahsoka said, nodding to each in return.

"I am grateful that the Jedi Council could spare the three of you to instruct our leaders in being peacekeepers of tomorrow; please thank Master Yoda for me," Satine told Anakin with a thankful smile. Anakin suddenly became a little awkward.

"Uh...I'm afraid that due to our limited resources...I must return to battle immediately," Anakin admitted.

"And Ahsoka is the one who received the mission, not me. I can lend a hand, but I have a feeling my assistance is going to be needed...outside of the academy," Zelina said, her gaze sliding to meet Satine's.

Almec raised his eyebrows. "So you will not be staying Master Skywalker? And you, Master Du'ahn, are here more on a pleasure retreat than anything else?"

Zelina frowned at his remark, but Anakin spoke before she could say anything stupid.

Funny how they alternated as each other's Stupidity Police.

"No, I want, but I assure you that Padawan Tano is a highly capable Jedi and has the full confidence of the Council, and I know from experience that Master Du'ahn will assist in any and every way she can."

"Very well," Almec said tersely. "Cadet Korkie? Amis? Lagos?"

The younger ones that had been mostly hiding from view up until that moment stepped forward, prompting Zelina to step aside so that the younger ones could all speak face to face.

"These are some of the Cadets that you will be instructing Padawan Tano," Almec informed Ahsoka.

"Nice to meet all of you," Ahsoka said graciously, giving a small, respective bow. One of the cadets stepped forward, pointing at Ahsoka's lightsaber.

"That's a fine weapon; may I see it?" he asked eagerly, already stepping forward. As Ahsoka reached to show him the lightsaber, Almec reached out and stopped the young cadet.

"Ah, I'm afraid not," he said sternly, pulling the cadet back behind him. "Because of Master Kenobi's recent visit, and the trouble that followed, no off-worlders may carry weapons on Mandalore."

Zelina glanced at Satine with raised eyebrows but said nothing, unclipping her lightsabers as Ahsoka exclaimed her shock.

"Master Obi-Wan caused trouble? That's a first..." she muttered. Anakin groaned.

"Just give me the lightsaber," he grumbled, holding out his hand expectantly. Ahsoka pressed it into his palm and he clipped it to his belt. Zelina gently handed hers to Anakin as well, shooting him a look.

"Don't. Lose. Those," she said, putting emphasis on every word and jabbing at them with her finger. Anakin gave her a slightly offended look.

"Now Zee, you know I won't," he said sincerely, clipping her lightsabers next to his. "I know how important they are to you."

"I'm just warning you," Zelina said with a warm smile.

"Thank you for respecting our ways Master Jedi," Satine said sincerely.

"Excuse the interruption sir," came a new voice, and they all turned to Rex who stood beside Anakin at attention. "It is time to depart. General Fisto is expecting us"

"If you'll excuse me," Anakin said graciously, shooting Ahsoka a pointed look and mouthing a discreet 'be careful' to Zelina before he turned to leave. They all watched him leave for a few moments before Almec and Satine led the way into the city.

Zelina went with Satine while Ahsoka went to the Academy. While Ahsoka dealt with the younger minds, Zelina planned on assisting Satine with the corruption inside of the government. Force knew that they were there; they just needed to be found and weeded out.

At the moment, however, they were catching up. Satine had offered Zelina a place in her own quarters, and they were currently sitting in Satine's living room, talking lightly of how things had been.

"It truly is good to see you again Zelina," Satine said, a drink in her hand. Satine had remembered Zelina's aversion to alcohol, and so Zelina simply had water, nothing else.

"And you too Satine," Zelina said. "I do hope that things at Mandalore have improved.

"I would love to tell you that they have, but that would not be the case," Satine said sadly. "As I'm sure you've heard, I continue to have problems with corrupt officials inside of my own government. Hopefully there are no more among my trusted advisors, but if there are they shall be dealt with immediately."

"As they should," Zelina said seriously. "One hidden traitor can do unspeakable amounts of damage to those that unwittingly harbor him in their midst."

Satine cocked an eyebrow. "I do not remember you being this wise with words Zelina. Have you already changed in so short of time?"

Zelina blushed. "I have my moments, though every day of this war feels more like another week added to my existence. Some feel more like months..." she said with a sigh. Satine frowned.

"One such as you should not be burdened by such things," she said sadly, placing a hand on her knee. Zelina gave Satine a sad smile.

"I was burdened with things I should not have been before I even became a Jedi," she explained gently. That seemed to spark Satine's curiosity.

"Do tell me more, if you don't mind," she said gently.

Zelina sighed, setting her glass down. "Before Qui-Gon freed us from slavery, it was Ani who was the lucky one. I had a cruel Master, a detached and often abusive drunken father, and no mother. Ani had an easy job at a junk shop tinkering like he loves to do, and he had his mother. I saw many things in my youth that I shouldn't have, and many of which are still with me to this day."

Satine nodded sadly. "I wish you could have had a better life. You are a very kind and honest soul Zelina, and people like you are hard to find in the Galaxy these days."

Zelina shrugged. "In a way, my life has been better with the Jedi; since the war it's gotten hard again, but I still prefer it over my life on Tatooine. And I still have...some of the people that matter the most to me."

Satine smiled slightly, a small light in her eyes. "And would Master Skywalker be one of those people?"

Zelina blushed once more. "Of course; we've been friends since Tatooine."

Satine chuckled. "It's rather obvious that you two have feelings for each other, though I am familiar with the reason why you two cannot act on such feelings, what with the Jedi Code that you both live by."

Zelina stared at her, shocked into wordlessness for several moments. "Satine, that's not...ah...you've got the wrong idea."

Satine raised her eyebrows at the young woman. "Oh really? Would you care to enlighten me?"

Zelina shook her head, trying to think of a way to leave out certain key, very secretive details. "Well, some things are not for me to tell, but I will say enough to clear the air. First of all, neither Anakin nor myself are conventional Jedi. Having grown up differently from the other Jedi and outside of the Order, we are...well...what you would call a special case. For us, it's harder to let go, and we can't help but get attached. We're not supposed to know possession, it's forbidden but..." Zelina bit her lip before she snaked her finger under her collar and pulled out the greater krayt dragon necklace she still possessed. "I know I've been breaking that rule ever since I came to the Order. This was my mother's; it's all I've had of her since the day she died, and I refuse to give it up," she explained, allowing Satine to run her hand over the weathered wood, her thumb brushing over the dark, burned section of the necklace.

"I do not blame you," Satine said gently. "But I believe you still have not clarified much."

Zelina smiled a little. "Anakin's weakness has always been his attachments, as have mine; though not as bad as it can be with Anakin. At least not yet. He would do anything for those he cares about; I know, I've seen it. And if he truly cares about you, like your suggesting, he'll tell you about it. He's not exactly the subtle type in case you haven't noticed that yet."

"So he's afraid to tell you how he feels?" Satine asked. "Because with the way he looks at you, I find it very hard to believe that he doesn't care about you."

"Well of course he cares," Zelina said with a wan smile. "He's risked his life for me. I just don't think he cares for me like that."

"And what makes you so sure?"

Zelina smiled sadly. "Because; he's already professed his undying love to another woman, and I heard every word of it. His heart belongs to another; not me."

Satine seemed startled, and she sat back. "Oh...I see."

Zelina smiled a little more. "But I don't mind. It's been a while; I've grown used to it. And so long as Ani's happy then I will be happy."

Satine returned her smile. "Well...let us not focus on things that bring us down for now. For now, let us enjoy this reunion in peace. We can get to the tiresome things after you rest."

Zelina chuckled. "That would be much appreciated Satine, thank you." She picked her glass back up off of the coffee table in a toast. "To progress."

"To peace," Satine added, raising her glass as well.

Zelina's smile gained a sad edge. "I have a feeling that peace will take longer to achieve, but I can still drink to that as well."

A hopeful glint appeared in Satine's eyes. "I have a dream that one day we will finally end all of this blasted corruption and fighting. Then, and only then, will I be able to truly rest."

Zelina sighed. "I can agree with you there…but for now it is only a dream."

"That is why we strive to make it a reality; even if we do so in different ways," Satine said wisely.

Zelina chuckled again. "Yes well, I've never been one for politics, and to me there are just some situations that cannot be settled calmly. Sometimes action is needed, and not always is it a desirable action."

Satine inclined her head. "I can respect your views; you have respected mine. Though if you would like I could give you a lesson in the ways of politics."

Zelina actually laughed this time. "Senator Amidala has already offered and tried several times. I will admit, she has gotten some basics through my head. Still, I'll take whatever lessons are offered; at least by reasonable people. I would never accept a lesson in politics by someone like the Chancellor."

Satine cocked an eyebrow at that last statement. "I get the distinct impression that the two of you do not get along."

"Not in the least," Zelina said, a note of bitterness coloring her tone. "Don't get me wrong, I am loyal to the Republic; but I'm not happy at all with the way the Chancellor is running things. Plus, we've had a few run ins here and there along the way, and I've never had a good feeling about the guy from the moment I first saw him when I was six."

"A Jedi's feelings are never something to be taken lightly; usually there is some truth to them," Satine noted.

"Yes, well…for now it's just a feeling and opposing viewpoints."

"Let's hope it never exceeds that."

"Yes…" Zelina murmured, feeling her gut twist uncomfortably. "Let's…"

A few days later, after a fitful rest that Satine had deemed Zelina in need of after hearing some of her recent stories of the war and a few lessons in politics, as promised, Satine and Zelina sat down to have an intense discussion over the corruption that was currently polluting Satine's government. Satine gave Zelina several names of officials that she believed might be corrupt, and gave a few others that she knew with absolute certainty that they were not.

Zelina still filed those names under suspicious in her mind, just in case there was another Governor Vizsla or Prince Merrik in their midst.

Satine might have said she wanted Ahsoka here only to teach, but in actuality Satine knew that something was wrong in her government. Satine was a smart woman, and she knew how to subtle go about her business, that was for sure.

Zelina sighed, massaging her temples as she struggled to remember the name that Satine had given her earlier. "Tell me again about your Trade Federation Representative; I know the Trade Federation is in above their heads with the Separatists no matter what they say. You might want to be cautious around her..."

Satine waved her hand dismissively. "Yes, well, I already keep my eye on her. I believe her to be a good, honest woman, but I am not naïve."

"I never said you were," Zelina said gently. "But that's good. I tell as many people as I can to keep an eye on their Trade Federation Representatives."

A knock on the door brought an immediate and abrupt end to their conversation. This wasn't exactly a discussion they could risk ending up on anyone's gossip chain. If word got back to anyone in Satine's government that she was poking around for corrupt officials...

A voice floated towards them through the door, and Satine visibly perked up from her seat on the couches. It seemed she recognized whoever was standing at her door.

"Aunt Satine, may we speak with you?" a young male voice said, the eager cadet from the other day poking his head around the guard that stood firmly in the doorway.

Satine turned to face the young boy, standing up and gesturing to the couches. Zelina stood as well. "Of course Korkie, come in."

The boy—Korkie, approached Satine, as well as three other cadets. Korkie looked at Zelina hesitantly for a moment before he decided that whatever he had to say was safe for her to hear. "We did some investigating," he said, coming to a stop in front of her. "There's no food shortage; we found stores of food at the Government Port."

Zelina's eyebrows shot up and she cast a glance Satine's way, catching the woman's eyes. Satine played as innocent as she could, hiding her suspicions well from the four young cadets in front of her. "How would you know this?" she inquired curiously, taking a seat.

"That doesn't matter right now," Korkie said hastily as the cadets all gathered around Satine. Zelina stood a few paces off to the side, watching with interest and taking everything in that she could.

"I beg to differ!" Satine argued gently.

"We made a recording of a secret meeting," said the girl with short brown hair. "Between what we know was a government official and a black marketer."

"That's why everything costs so much, and so many people are starving!" added the blonde girl.

"We need your help to find the one responsible," Korkie said passionately. Satine put a gentle hand on Korkie's shoulder.

"This is a serious matter...I agree," she shot Zelina a look, standing up. "But the source of this evil may be more than you cadets can handle. People can be very deceiving; you don't want to get yourselves into trouble," she said softly, starting to make her way back towards the door.

"But Auntie, don't you see? You can't ignore this!" Korkie argued, following her. Zelina stayed a few paces behind the rear of the group, remaining silent on the matter.

Satine came to a stop, gesturing for them to make their exit from her residence. "I won't, trust me. But for your own safety you must let me take care of it," she explained to them gently.

Zelina put a gentle hand on the brown haired girl's shoulder, who was at the back of the group. When she had the youth's attention, she gave the girl a gentle smile. "Keep that recording on hand; it's important. Don't give it to anyone, or it could be lost."

"Yes ma'am," the girl said hastily, and Zelina nodded back towards the girls group as they all filed into the stairwell that they had arrived in.

"Now run along, all of you," Satine told them, leaning in the doorway. "Concentrate on your studies; there will be a time to save the world when you're a bit older."

With that, the door slid shut, separating Satine from the cadets. Satine turned to face Zelina in that moment, a frown painting her features as she made her way hastily back towards the living room.

"It would seem we were just handed a lead," Zelina murmured, twisting a strand of hair around her finger as she pondered over what the cadets had said.

"Though I worry about the means that they used to acquire that lead," Satine said with worry. "They don't have the authority to go into the facility, so that leaves me to assume that they broke in."

Zelina smiled sadly. "Sometime that's the only way that we receive the information that we need, unfortunately. Still, this is better than nothing. A little investigating, and we could find your corrupt official," Zelina said hopefully.

"Perhaps...so long as Korkie and the others stay out of trouble. They're a spirited bunch, and I fear that despite my warning they will not let this be..."

Zelina frowned. "I'm sure they'll be all right; and if all else fails, Ahsoka and I can handle it. You don't need to worry Satine, I promise."

Satine sighed. "Perhaps you're right Zelina. However, I feel that I will have to do this part of the investigation alone so we can avoid suspicion."

Zelina nodded. "That's fine with me; I'll ask Ahsoka how her classes are going and see if she can tell me anything about Korkie and the others. I'll even tell her to keep an eye on them for their sake."

"That would be much appreciated Zelina, thank you," Satine said with a warm smile, placing a hand on Zelina's shoulder.

"Anytime Satine. All you need to do is ask," Zelina told her sincerely.

Satine let her hand drop away. "I'll get right to tracking down this government official that Korkie and his friends saw; I'll contact you as soon as I find anything."

Zelina nodded, already headed towards the door. "I'll keep an eye out myself until then."

Zelina had to pass the time that Ahsoka spent teaching at the academy wandering the streets of Mandalore, taking some much needed personal time. Once it got near the time for the Academy to finish classes—at least near the time when Ahsoka finished her classes—Zelina made her way to the facility. Dusk was approaching, and with it came an air of an uneasy urgency. She didn't like it; such feelings in the air usually preceded some disastrous event or close call. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

As Zelina left the air taxi and approached the academy, she kept her eyes peeled for Korkie and his friends as well as Ahsoka. She was suspicious that whatever this feeling in the air was, it was going to be centered around one of them.

With a sigh, Zelina navigated the halls of the Academy until she found the room that Ahsoka taught in. It was completely empty other than Ahsoka herself, who was cleaning up with a thoughtful, worried expression on her face. Zelina made her way towards the young Padawan, clearing her throat.

"Something on your mind?" Zelina asked her as she approached Ahsoka, a small smile on her face. Ahsoka chuckled.

"You have no idea," she said, her frown still firmly in place.

"Ah...well, I bet I can guess that it has something to do with Cadet Korkie and his friends."

"How did you know?" she asked in surprise.

"The four of them came by Satine's earlier today. Satine said that she was going to look into their claims, though she still hasn't contacted me about anything yet," Zelina said, leaning against the table.

"Did you know that they broke into a government warehouse?" Ahsoka inquired.

"Satine and I assumed as much," Zelina said with a shrug.

"They told me that they were meeting with the Prime Minister tonight; they didn't say anything about meeting with Satine; they hinted at it, but that's all. And they said they were bringing a holorecording to show him as well."

"Alone?" Zelina asked suspiciously.

"I believe so," she affirmed with a grim nod.

"Something's wrong with all of this," Zelina muttered, straightening up from her seat against the desk. "Find Korkie and the others, make sure that they're safe. I've got to go find Satine and make sure that she's all right as well."

"On it," Ahsoka said, setting what she'd been gathering in a drawer and making a hasty exit. Zelina was close behind her, but they immediately split down opposite sides of the hall.

"I'll contact you if I find anything," Zelina called back towards Ahsoka before she made a sharp turn and the young togruta disappeared from sight.

Hopefully, neither of the parties would be in any danger. Zelina would rather find out that it was a false alarm than find out that they'd been harmed in some way.

Zelina knew that something was wrong the moment she entered the building. Rushing down the darkened stairs, her unease continued to rise.

She was borderline panic when she saw Satine's personal guard that had been standing by the door earlier was lying on the floor, dead.

A crash came from within, and Zelina's hand instinctively flew to where her lightsabers were...

...supposed to be.

Blast it!

Anakin had her lightsabers, and he was star systems away.

Quickly, Zelina crept into the dwelling, her eyes grazing over every dark precipice in the immediate area. It was only because she was on high alert that she was ready for the sudden attack that came at her when she turned the corner towards the kitchen.

She ducked as an unmarked officer took a swing at her head, grabbing the man's arm and flipping him over her shoulder. Another man came at her in her distraction, but she managed to grab his fist before he could connect and yanked him past her, kneeing him in the stomach along the way. Both men were back on their feet in the next moment and Zelina spun back to elbow the first man in the face, spinning again to nail the second man in the face with her foot.

A third man joined the fray.

While Zelina ducked and weaved between blows, delivering her own, she heard the shattering of glass; a window.

"Satine!" she called out, taking a hit thigh that caused her to sink towards the ground, but she managed to stay on her feet and keep swinging.

Outside, she heard the sound of a blaster speeding away. Growling low in her throat, Zelina lost all patience and called on the Force, shoving two of the men so that they flew forward and slammed into the cabinets of the kitchen on the other side of the room while she spun around and ripped the helmet off of the third man. Once the head protection was gone, she grabbed his head, ignoring the blow to her ribcage as she brought his head hard over her knee. The man crumpled to the ground and she was able to turn and deal with the other two.

One had hit his head on a sharp corner of the cabinets and was lying motionless on the floor, so she was left with only one opponent who was making a mad dash towards her. She stepped aside and the man twisted, landing a blow on her hip before she grabbed him and threw him into the coffee table. The glass shattered, and Zelina was on him in the next second, one arm pressed against the throat as she pinned him against the floor.

"Where are they taking her?" she shouted at him.

"Do you really think I'll tell you Jedi?" the man spat back. Zelina slammed him against the floor and there was a nasty crunch of glass, eliciting a scream of pain from the man.

"It might take some persuasion," she grunted. "You better give me something, or so help me—"

"You'll what? Kill me? That would be against your Code," he sneered. "Face it Jedi; you've got nothing on me, and I won't talk."

Zelina growled low in her throat. "Give your boss my hello when you wake up."

Before the man could inquire what she meant, Zelina yanked him to the side, slamming his head against the foot of the coffee table and knocking him out. She launched to her feet, dusting herself off and pulling out her com link.

"Ahsoka, come in, it's Zelina."

Ahsoka's voice came a moment later. "Zelina! I've got Korkie and the cadets. The Prime Minister set them up, but they're all right now. What about Satine?"

Zelina cursed under her breath. "They took her. I don't know where, but they've got her. If the Prime Minister is behind all of this, we're going to have to tread very, very carefully."

Ahsoka was silent for a few moments before she finally replied. "I think I have a plan."

"Well by all means, go ahead and share it," Zelina said with a small smile, letting her gaze finally run the length of the room. Several glass panels were shattered, several of Satine's guards lay dead on the floor, and there was three of the unmarked officers lie unmoving on the ground.

"All right, this is going to sound a little crazy, but just bear with me..."

Zelina worked her lip between her teeth as she waited within the shadows a little ways away from the high security prison that the cadets were being led into.

Ahsoka's plan had required that the cadets be 'arrested' and turned in by Ahsoka. As soon as Almec was gone, Zelina was going to 'appear' after getting a message from her earlier about the 'conspiracy' that Satine and the cadets were involved in. The two of them would infiltrate the prison, see the cadets, and then search around to see if Satine was inside.

It was a little too simple for Zelina's taste, but they did have to hurry to get this done before Almec could release anything against Satine to the public.

Zelina got into the speeder she'd borrowed from Satine's apartment as she saw Almec start making his way away from the prison. She knew it was a risky choice, especially if Almec came back and saw it, but she didn't really have that much of an option.

Once Almec had disappeared from view of the landing pad Ahsoka stood waiting on, Zelina angled the speeder towards the prison, making a show of appearing in a rush. She brought the speeder to an abrupt halt, jumping out and rushing towards Ahsoka.

"I'm back, I'm here; is it really true?" she asked her breathlessly. Ahsoka gave a curt nod.

"I'm afraid it is; Satine and the cadets are both in custody right now."

Zelina shook her head. "Satine...who would have known? Though I guess she had the perfect cover and was in the perfect position for such a thing...what about the cadets, have you interrogated them yet?"

"Not yet; I was waiting for you Master Du'ahn, as you instructed me to."

"Good, good. I say the sooner we interrogate them, the better," Zelina said, her hands on her hips.

"I agree," Ahsoka said with a nod. They both made their way stiffly to the guard that stood by the door, Zelina in the lead.

"Officer; we need to interrogate the prisoners immediately," Zelina said, her voice ringing with authority.

The man nodded in affirmation, stepping aside to allow the two into the prison. Zelina noticed that Ahsoka stopped to glance back and smirk at the officer's back, though she kept walking, perfectly in character.

Ahsoka needed to work on her undercover skills; what if someone saw such actions?

Two more guards led them through the prison; one in the front, and one behind. Zelina and Ahsoka let their gazes wander, paying attention to each and every cell they passed while looking as disinterested in what was around them as possible. Eventually, however, they came to the cell that housed all four cadets and stepped inside. All of the cadets launched to their feet as soon as the Jedi entered, but Ahsoka was the one to step forward and talk to them as soon as the door slid shut.

"Careful; we're being watched," she warned.

"Did he buy it?" the blonde girl asked.

"Have you found my Aunt?" Korkie cut in.

"Not exactly...but we know they have her in custody," Ahsoka told him hesitantly.

"Where?" Korkie asked eagerly.

"The Prime Minister wouldn't tell me," Ahsoka admitted.

"I knew this plan wouldn't work," the other boy grumbled, turning away with a defeated slump. Zelina shook her head.

"This plan has just begun. If we're going to be successful than you need to wait a little longer," Zelina explained. "They won't be holding Satine anywhere obvious, so it might take a while to find her, but we will."

"We'll have to modify this plan a bit," Ahsoka muttered, looking down thoughtfully.

"How are you going to do that?" the brown haired girl asked.

"Yes Ahsoka, pray tell?" Zelina asked, eyebrows raised. "This is your mission, I believe and you are the one calling the shots; but you still need to make sure I'm in the dark as to what you're doing."

"Don't worry you guys; you'll know when to act when I give the signal," Ahsoka soothed the cadets.

"What's the signal?" Korkie asked.

"You'll know it when you see it," Ahsoka said with a sly smile. She turned to Zelina. "Just follow my lead. You'll catch on to what I'm doing quickly I bet."

Zelina nodded. "Copy that Commander."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes but said nothing. Instead, she turned to leave the cell., stopping in front of the guard. "You will take us to Duchess Satine," Ahsoka said, waving her hand in front of the guard's face. Zelina narrowed her eyes slightly at the action. A mind trick; it could be as effective as it could be disastrous to their plans, all depending on how strong minded this particular guard was and if any other guard happened to see.

Still, it seemed to work...

"I will take you to Duchess Satine..." the guard echoed, turning away and already starting down the walkway. Ahsoka shot a triumphant smile at Zelina before she started forward after the guard, walking with a purpose so it at least looked like she was where she was supposed to be. Zelina followed her cautiously, tense and ready for any trouble that might arise should this plan go terribly wrong, especially since they were already improvising at such an early stage.

The guard led them to a high security cell that rose high above them in a single large, spacious room. Zelina could see Satine housed at the way top, and she spared a glance at the two guards that flanked either side of them. A second one had been standing guard outside the room, and that was where they had picked him up.

Ahsoka strode purposely towards the control panel, reaching to release the Duchess from her cell.

"What are you doing?" the guard suddenly asked, reaching out to stop the young Padawan. Zelina turned to him, subtly waving a few fingers at hip level in his direction.

It seemed while everyone else was so blatantly obvious about their mind tricks, Zelina was one of the few that chose to be subtle.

"We must interrogate the Duchess," Zelina commanded.

"You...must...interrogate...the Duchess," the guard said haltingly, glancing at his guard friend. Zelina frowned whilst Ahsoka continued to pluck away at the controls. She could hear Satine's cell being lowered to their level behind her.

Something is still not right...

Zelina was loath to turn her back on the guards, but once she heard the cell slide open behind her she turned to see the Duchess collapse with Ahsoka kneeling down beside her to help the woman up. Satine pulled away.

"Ahsoka, Zeilna, it's a trap!" the Duchess exclaimed desperately. In her mind, Zelina cursed.

I knew it!

"I see you found the Duchess youngling; and it seems you brought Master Du'ahn into all of this as well, how lovely," came a new voice, and they all turned to see Almec making his way towards them. Zelina stood up sharply, her body going tense with anticipation. "You may stop your playacting now Sergeant," he commanded.

"Prime Minister, sir!" both guards said in unison, snapping to attention.

"Using a Jedi Mind Trick was a very poor decision," Almec continued to explain, stepping further into the room. Guards were starting to emerge from all around them, and in her mind Zelina was trying to figure the odds that were stacked against them. "My guards have been trained to resist such archaic magic, and now you have revealed yourselves as conspirators. Set for stun!"

"Move," Zelina barked at Ahsoka, and they both leapt to opposite sides to avoid the stun bolts that were sent their way. Both of them were met with immediate opposition in the form of at least two guards, and the others were converging. Zelina ground her teeth in frustration as she heard the large gun behind them power up for a second blast even as Zelina sank her fist into a guard's stomach, holding up her arm to hold off a downwards blow with one of their shields. She couldn't really move out of the way of the inevitable stun blast without putting herself in the path of more guards, and she had to remember to keep Satine factored into this difficult spot they all found themselves in.

Admitting to herself that she was going to get stunned into submission at any moment, Zelina resolved to take as many of the guards down as she could. She dropped low, knocking the feet out from under one of the guards and coming up to meet him halfway through his fall to deliver a powerful blow under his chin. There was a definite crack, and she had to resist the urge to shake off the pain in her hand. She grit her teeth, turning to elbow another guard right in the nose. Blood spurted as the man cried out in pain, and Zelina grabbed him to use him as a human shield for the stun bolt that came soaring towards her, lashing out backwards with her foot to stop the guard that was coming to join the fray. The man seized her foot midair, but she simply through the stunned man at the guard that had a hold of her foot, effectively freeing herself once again.

Marked as the more dangerous Jedi of the two, Zelina found herself faced with several opponents with no time to spare a glance to see how Ahsoka was doing. The guard she'd thrown the stunned one at was already getting to his feet, and three more were converging. Zelina stood in the middle, tense and ready for whatever they were going to throw at her.

"I think it would be wise, Master Jedi, for you to stop fighting my guards, or I'm afraid your young friend will be the one to pay for your lack of cooperation," Almec said coolly, his voice ringing through the spacious room. Zelina finally tore her gaze from her opponents to look at the other side of the room, where Ahsoka was already bound, her teeth grit in frustration as one of the guards pressed a blaster muzzle to the togruta's head.

"I think it would be idiotic of you to pull the trigger, Almec. Hell hath no fury like a Skywalker," Zelina shot back. If Ahsoka was killed, Anakin would rip whoever was responsible apart, molecule by molecule; and Zelina refused to have Ahsoka killed on her watch.

"You only have one chance to stand down Jedi, or she will die; it will not take much to cover it up, perhaps even mark you as the one to blame," Almec said, sounding bored. Zelina bristled, tensing slightly for more of a fight before she gradually forced herself to drop her defensive position. One of the guards rushed forwards and dealt a heavy blow to her shins, sending her to her knees with a growl. The same guards forced her hands behind her back, clipping a pair of binders into place.

"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Almec asked her. Zelina simply glared at him. Almec shook his head. "You little fools..."

The guards pulled both Zelina and Ahsoka to their feet but holding them at opposite sides of the room, just in case. Once they were certain that the Jedi were contained, Almec stepped forward, a datapad in hand that he offered to Satine.

"Sign it; sign the confession and admit to your treasonous ways," Almec demanded. Satine sat straight and defiant.

"There is only one traitor to Mandalore here, Prime Minister," Satine said, her voice acidic. "And that's you! You control the black market, you have betrayed the public trust, and you used your office to accumulate wealth and power! It's shameful!"

Almec took her insults with a clenched jaw, withdrawing slightly with a somewhat forced chuckle. "You're idealism is inspiring my dear, but hopelessly naïve. I established the black market for the people."

"That's absurd!" Ahsoka shouted from where she was being held.

"The war is disrupting trade across the Galaxy! The profits from the black market are being used to purchase humanitarian supplies for Mandalore. Think of it as a new tax in the interest of national security," Almec countered. Ahsoka glared daggers at the man, though Zelina decided not to waste her time with the man, and instead was testing how strong the binders on her hands were. If she could get the right moment, then she could break free and they could all get out of here.

"It's a tax for your benefit, Prime Minister," Satine shot back. "Where are these humanitarian supplies you speak of!"

"Sergeant, put the shock collar on her," Almec barked. Zelina tensed while Satine took steadying breathes, preparing herself for what was to come. One of the unmarked guards stepped forward and clasped the metal band around Satine's neck. "My patience has worn thin Duchess; now maybe this will convince you."

Almec pressed a button and Satine cried out in pain from the electrical shock that coursed through her. Zelina bit her lip so hard to avoid shouting insults and retain a cool head that she was sure it was blood she tasted in her mouth. The jolt, thankfully, was decently short, and Satine sat panting on the floor for a few seconds.

"I would rather die than sign your confession," Satine spat at Almec.

"That can be arranged," Almec responded smoothly.

"You're wasting your time," Ahsoka snarled at him. Almec appraised her calmly.

"Bring me those...traitorous cadets," Almec sneered. One of the guards broke away to do as instructed, and Satine whipped around in a panic.

"No, you can't! They're just children!" she pleaded.

Almec did not seem to care.

Zelina, meanwhile, had discovered the weak spot in her binders, but she held back. Now was not the time, it was not the moment.

But she was going to be ready when said moment came.

There was a few moments of silence during which the collar was removed from Satine before the guards returned with the four cadets in the middle; one guard for each cadet. Ahsoka and Zelina both shared a glance, and Zelina knew that that moment was coming.

As well as Ahsoka's signal.

"I'm afraid your nephew will have to suffer needlessly," Almec told Satine before he turned to the guard beside him. "Put the shock collar on Cadet Korkie."

The guard by Korkie placed a restraining hand on Korkie to keep the boy from moving as the other guard approached.

Ahsoka coughed.

Chaos ensued.

Zelina's attention immediately focused on her group of guards as she swung her leg backwards, forcing the guard holding her forward with a blow to the shins, jumping and bringing her arms around to the front before she hit the ground again, after which she rapidly hooked her bound hands around the guards neck and successfully cut off his airway. As the other guards rushed to stop her, Zelina called on the Force to spin on her heel and kick a guard right in the face, sending him crashing to the ground as she followed all the way through the motion. Another guard came at her from the side and she sent a difficult but effective Force Push his way, sending him flying into a fourth guard. Zelina brought her heel down hard on the second guard she'd felled before he could get up, knocking him out cold. In her arms, she felt the first guard go limp, passing out from lack of oxygen. With one quick, Force-enhanced yank, Zelina snapped her bonds in half, effectively freeing herself. She took no time in spinning around and punching one of the guards that had come at her in the face, yanking his baton from him.

Good; now she had a weapon.

Zelina advanced mercilessly, bringing the baton down hard on the raising guard that one of the cadets had downed. She spun back around to hit a guard that had tried to sneak up on her from behind right in the gut, bringing the baton down on his head when he doubled over in pain.

Suddenly, there was the sound of the shock collar being activated, followed closely by a cry from Almec. "Stop fighting!"

Zelina instinctively brought the baton to her side, stepping away from the guards as everything else came to a standstill. She glanced around to see Ahsoka standing by the control panel, Almec on his hands and knees a few paces away, a small handful of guards still standing, and the cadets perfectly unharmed. Satine was dragging herself to her feet, relief resonating from every inch of her being.

"Send for my personal guards," she told Ahsoka as the cadets also stood up.

They were safe.

Once Satine's guards arrived, the conspiring guards that were under Almec's control and Almec himself were all arrested, with Almec himself being bound as Satine had been and getting locked in the cell he'd imprisoned Satine in by Satine herself.

"You must know by now that I didn't just bring you here to teach," Satine said, turning to Ahsoka. "I knew something was amiss, but I had no one to trust. I thought if I brought a Jedi, especially a friend of Senator Amidala's, we could solve this mystery together."

"I would say it worked," Zelina said with a grin. Satine laughed happily.

"I would have never guessed that I would be receiving both of your help; imagine my delight when I learned that it would be you two that came to my aid."

"I never doubted you Duchess," Ahsoka said sincerely.

"Neither did we," Korkie said as the cadets collectively snapped to attention.

Korkie allowed himself to break his cadet persona and promptly stepped forward to embrace his aunt. Satine returned the hug with a content smile and joy in her eyes.

It was a very heart-touching scene to behold.

The day soon came for Anakin to bring Ahsoka and Zelina back to the for-front of the war, and the group stood in anticipation of the ship as it gracefully touched down. Zelina and Ahsoka turned to face Korkie and Satine, who were there to see them off.

Korkie stepped forward and gave a deep bow. "It was an honor to serve with Jedi Knights."

"It was my privilege to be your teacher," Ahsoka told him with a smile and a slight bow. Zelina turned to Satine.

"Good luck with your world Satine; you know if you ever need any help, all you need do is ask. Anakin is at your service as well," Zelina told her sincerely.

Satine smiled warmly. "I will keep that in mind, thank you Zelina; and give Master Skywalker my thanks as well." Before Zelina could leave, Satine put a hand on her shoulder. "Good luck with your more...heart-induced endeavors. I hope one day you may receive what you wish for."

"Thank you Duchess," Zelina said with a deep bow, her face heating up just slightly. "I hope to see you again soon."

With that, Zelina and Ahsoka turned to face the ship and made their way to the lowered landing ramp Anakin stood waiting on, arms folded over his chest.

"I hope this assignment wasn't too boring for you," he said in amusement as they approached him. Ahsoka shrugged.

"Eh...it had its moments."

"Oh?" Anakin asked, unclipping her lightsaber from his belt and tossing it in the air before he offered it to her. "Like the one where you convinced untrained children to help you overthrow a corrupt government?"

"That was a highlight," Ahsoka said casually as she took the weapon back.

"It sounds pretty risking," Anakin said, his voice laced with concern for his Padawan as she drew nearer to the ramp. Anakin was still standing firmly in place. "You're lucky you didn't get hurt."

"Nothing you wouldn't have done," Ahsoka countered playfully with a smile. With that, she ascended the ramp and disappeared inside the ship. Zelina placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder.

"She's right you know; it's rather amusing," she quipped.

"Yeah, I know," Anakin said, a smile playing across his features and a sparkle in his eyes. He unclipped Zelina's lightsabers. "I believe you want these; not a scratch, as promised."

Zelina visibly lit up, eagerly taking the weapons from him and clipping them back onto her belt. "Oh, my babies! I missed you two; I could have used you earlier."

Anakin laughed, clapping her on the back. "It's good to have you back Zee."

"It's good to be back Ani; it's good to be back."