Chapter Twenty-Three: The Duchess

Mandalore. I'd never actually been to the planet, but Jango had mentioned it on and off. He wasn't welcome there anymore, since it went pacifist. He always scoffed at that, but didn't have enough ties to what remained of his clan to care enough to do something.

I'd ever imagined that I'd be helping the very woman he scoffed at-Duchess Satine. Still, it wasn't my choice. My newly detailed armor attested to that, all shimmering with its relatively fresh coat of 501st blue. Even my kyr'bes was the deep blue of Anakin's legion. Though, I didn't run missions exclusively with them.

The Jedi Council, hesitant on Obi-wan's offer to me, had put me under Kenobi's watch. Thus, he often off-loaded me to Skywalker. I certainly didn't mind. I loved the 212th Battalion, but the 501st was much more my speed. Daring. A bit of crudeness and light-heartedness. They matched their general well.

The massive gray doors opened before where I stood, waiting patiently for Obi-wan to return from his mission. He'd been sent to Mandalore to investigate claims that the Duchess was raising an army of her own, despite declaring neutrality. Realistically, I didn't understand why she couldn't amass an army to protect herself. Still, it's not like she was. She was a pacifist for Ka'ra's sake.

When the Jedi Council had shown the video to our group, I had immediately recognised the armor as Mandalorian. More specifically, Death Watch.

Of course, my opinion hadn't gained much traction, despite how I was likely right.

"General Kenobi," I greeted the jedi as he emerged, surrounded by Mandalorian guards and individuals who seemed to hold high status. One was a woman cloaked in green and blue garments, her blonde hair piled high above her head. The Duchess.

I bobbed my head to her as Obi-wan introduced me. "This is Kida," he said, gesturing to me. "She's been a great help on many missions. She even protected Senator Amidala for some time."

"Ah," Satine said, a fake smile on her face. "A bounty hunter, yes?" Her eyes danced over my armor, pausing on the kyr'bes. "Mandalorian armor, as well, with a Mythosaur skull."

I returned the fake smile. "Gifted to me by my father, Duchess. Now," I said, leaving her in confusion while I fell in step with Obi-wan. "Was I right, or was I right?"

Obi-wan sighed. "You were right. Death Watch was who we were looking for. Governor Vizsla was hiding them on Concordia."

I nearly tripped over my own feet. Memories flooded back, scattered, but clear. His blond hair swept elegantly atop his head. My haggard face reflecting in his vizor. The burn of his blade as it kissed my skin, the black energy hissing with sadistic pleasure.

"You call this man a coward, yet hide in the shadows."

Now who's talking?

"Are you alright?" Obi-wan asked, his eyebrow lifted as we walked.

"Fine. But you could have just asked about Vizsla."

"You knew about him?" one of Satine's advisors asked, his tone accusatory.

I lifted my hands in mock offense. "Woah there. Yes, I knew. Vizsla ran the Death Watch camp when I was there."

"You were at a Death Watch camp?" The duchess herself was turned on me now, her eyes wide.

I crossed my arms at all the suspicious glares. "I was a slave, your highness," I explained, my tone cold. "So yes. I was."

She seemed shocked, stuttering into the start of an apology when her advisor spoke again. "But as Pre Vizsla fled, we have no way of learning how widespread Death Watch really is." His voice annoyed me.

Obi-wan glanced at me, but I just shook my head. "I can't say. They weren't anything too massive when I was with them, but that was years ago. Still, I don't know if they'd have enough traction to be considered an army."

The jedi hummed. "It's obvious the Separatists are supporting the Death Watch." I raised my eyebrows, but didn't disagree. I sensed a darkness involved, too.

"I disagree," Duchess Satine said, her voice high as she turned to regard us. I took a subconscious step back under her icy gaze. "I told you, I wanted to stay out of this conflict."

"Given the current situation," Kenobi started, choosing his words carefully. "I'm afraid that may no longer be possible."

"I thought you of all people would understand my position on this matter. I will never be a part of this war!" She turned curtly, followed closely by her advisor, the both of them moving to board the Mandalorian royal cruiser.

"She may be shocked when the war comes to her anyways," I muttered, arms crossed behind Obi-wan. The jedi sighed, a small flare of a connection between the two peeking out in the force. I barely caught it before he shoved it away.

Anakin approached us, flanked by both Rex and Cody. "Reporting for escort duty, General."

"Anakin," Kenobi greeted with a sigh. "Am I glad to see you."

The former padawan huffed a laugh. "You sound tired."

"The peaceful way of the locals...wore me out."

I chuckled lowly as Kenobi joined Anakin to follow the Duchess aboard her ship. I nodded at the clones in greeting, falling into step with Rex as we joined them.

"So," a clone I recognized as Redeye started as he boarded the ship beside us. "An escort mission, eh?"

I chuckled. "All for the Duchess and her council of the neutral systems."

"Are they really in that much danger?" another clone-Mixer-asked.

"Not from us," Cody explained from the front. "From the Separatists."

I sighed lowly to myself. "Not really." The guys gave me questioning looks as we stepped into the elevator. I shrugged. "Even if Death Watch is backed by the Separatists, they wouldn't reveal that yet. Not before they actually need to."

"Why do you say that?" Rex asked, finally speaking aloud.

I tilted my head in thought. "If they didn't plan to use their reveal later, wouldn't they have already openly pledged allegiance?"

The clones hummed and nodded in agreement, stepping off the lift into the cargo bay where Skywalker and Kenobi were gathering the clones aboard. The room fell silent as Kenobi stepped forward, hands behind his back.

"You know your marching orders," he called, having debriefed with Anakin. "The safety of the Duchess Satine is of the utmost importance. The Death Watch will stop at nothing to assassinate her before she pleads her case to the Senate."

"The Death Watch may be backed by the Separatists," Anakin jumped in. "So stay sharp." The jedi glanced at his astromech. "R2, use your scanner to probe for any suspicious droid activity."

"Anything else, sir?" Rex asked from beside me. I hid my smile at his forwardness.

"No," Kenobi replied. "That'll be all."

Cody signaled to his men, the group fanning out as Rex and I stayed beside him. They mumbled gently about watches and patterns while I turned at the sound of Kenobi's wrist comm beeping.

"Yes?" he said, tapping the comm.

A voice spoke through firmly. "The Duchess and her retinue request your presence."

"Very well." Obi-wan and Anakin immediately turned to walk back onto the elevator. I half thought I was going to stay in the cargo hold until Rex's hand gently grazed my lower back, tapping me towards the direction of the jedi. He turned his helmet to look at me before nodding with his head as he walked by.

Chewing the inside of my cheek, I joined him, Cody, and the jedi in the elevator, letting it lift us up the levels. I'd have preferred to run the watches below. Hunting. Work. Fighting. Those were what I was good at. Not politics.

"I sense some anxiety from you about the duchess," Anakin said as we all stood waiting for the doors to open again. I glanced over to see Obi-wan stroking his beard thoughtfully. "She couldn't be in safer hands."

"Yes, I know."

"Then why-"

"Nevermind," Obi-wan cut him off, making everyone's eyebrows lift. "It's...all in the past."

"Oh, so you're close to her," Anakin surmised.

"I knew her." I smirked at Kenobi's defensiveness, giving Anakin a teasing look. "A long time ago," the older jedi added in a more glum tone. I saw Anakin smile gently as the doors finally hissed open.

We were quiet as we walked down the hall towards the banquet hall, the duchess' voice ringing adamantly off the walls.

"War is intolerable," she declared. "We have been deceived into thinking that we must be a part of it." For a moment, I understood what she meant. I felt obligated to fight now, but there were various reasons. Keeping planets out of the war was a way to keep down the death toll, anyways. But then, "I say the moment we committed to fighting, we already lost."

I understood what she thought of me now. The look of contempt when she recognized me as a bounty hunter. I was a fighter. Evil.

I slowed, seeing Rex and Cody stop as we neared the end of the hall. Kenobi looked over his shoulder at me, "No, come on," he urged, making me pout at the clones. "This is a good learning experience for you, should you ever have to go in my place for something. Besides, I'm curious to know what you think of all this."

"I know how political talks go, Kenobi," I whispered as we neared the Mandalorian guards. "I spent months with Senator Amidala, remember?"

The jedi merely hummed at me with a smile before turning to listen while the guards let us pass.

"Excuse me, Your Grace," her advisor cut in, his voice grating on my ears. "Are you suggesting we oppose the war on humanitarian grounds?"

"I'm going to oppose it as an affront to life itself!" The Duchess was sitting atop her pile of cushions, holding wine. She was surrounded by her team of advisors, all looking up at her like they were looking at a goddess. I lifted my brow at the scene. It all felt dramatic for some reason. "As the designated regent of fifteen-hundred systems, I speak for thousands of worlds that have urged me to allow them to stay neutral in this war."

"And yet some might argue," Obi-wan butt in from where we stood in the doorway. "That the strongest defensive is a swift and decisive offense."

I stayed a few steps behind the jedi master to walk with Anakin as we entered the room. The doorway closed behind us as Obi-wan bobbed his head at a frowning duchess.

"You are quite the general now, aren't you, Master Kenobi?" she said with a mocking breathlessness.

"Forgive me for interrupting, Your Highness," Obi-wan said easily. "I meant no disrespect."

"Really?" the duchess asked, clearly not believing him. "Senators, I presume you're acquainted with the collection of half-truths and hyperbole known as Obi-wan Kenobi." I scowled behind the jedi. She wasn't entirely wrong, but I didn't appreciate her trying to humiliate him like that. After all, he was the one who was giving me a chance, despite the Council's suspicions.

"Your Highness is too kind," Obi-wan said lowly.

"You're right," Satine whispered. "I am.

I glanced at Anakin, seeing the same look of amused confusion on his face that I displayed.

"Allow me to introduce my fellow jedi, Anakin Skywalker. Your Highness has already met Kida Fett." I winced slightly as Kenobi used my full name, raising eyebrows around the room. Thankfully, Anakin stepped forward and bowed to the duchess.

"Your servant, My Lady," he said smoothly. I hummed lowly in the back of my throat. He was an independent soul. Wild. But sometimes, you could still see his beginnings as a slave in him.

For now, the duchess ignored me and focused on my two companions. As she switched out her glass for a full one, she said, "I remember a time when jedi were not generals, but peacekeepers."

"We are protectors, Highness," Anakin argued respectfully. "Yours, at the moment. We fight for peace."

Satine laughed mockingly. "What an amusing contradiction."

"What Master Skywalker means," Obi-wan cut in. "Is that we are acting at the behest of Your Highness. To protect you from the Death Watch and the Separatists who don't share your neutral point of view."

"I asked for no such thing," Satine declared, making my nose crinkle in a scowl.

Thankfully, Obi-wan remained calm and gentle. "That may be so, but a majority of your court did." I glanced around, seeing representatives that I recognized from my time employed by Padme. Orn Fee Taa of Ryloth. Onaconda Farr of Rodia. The advisory court all averted their gazes under the inspecting stare of the duchess.

"I do not remember you as one to hide behind excuses," Satine accused Obi-wan.

"I do not remember you as one to shrink from responsibilities."

Orn Fee Taa moved between them, his blue rolls of chins wiggling as he forced a smile. "I am certain we all agree, Duchess Satine and General Kenobi have proven there are two sides to every dilemma."

I hummed from behind the jedi, earning a look from Skywalker.

"Indeed," Satine's advisor spoke.

"Now," Fee Taa continued. "In regards to the Senate vote, we think-"

The duchess cut him off. "I think a multitude makes discord, not good council."

"Right again, My Lady," Fee Taa allowed, bowing to her.

Beside me, Obi-wan spoke softly to Anakin. "There may be two sides to every dilemma, but the duchess only favors hers."

I lifted my brows at them, cracking a smile. "In her defense, so do you." Both jedi cut me a look, but I merely shrugged, watching as Satine's gaze finally settled on me.

"It's nice to see you again, Kida," Senator Farr said as he approached, taking my hand warmly. I'd seen him many times while I protected Padme. She called him 'uncle.'

"And you, Senator. I didn't realize you'd be on this trip."

"Nor did I realize you'd joined the Republic cause."

I smiled at him, nodding around the room. "As a representative of neutral systems, do you disapprove?"

Onaconda chuckled. "My opinion shouldn't influence your choices."

"I never said it would."

. "Does Padme know?" I stopped myself before looking over to Skywalker.

I swallowed, thinking about how she definitely knew, since she talked to Anakin whenever she could. "Probably."

"She's probably glad to have you back around."

"Senator Farr," Satine cut in from her plush seating. "Do you know this bounty hunter?"

"She's a member of the Grand Army of the Republic now," Obi-wan jumped back into the conversation.

"Pressing criminals into service now, are you?"

"I didn't say-"

"Hi," I cut them both off, tired of them bickering. "I'm right here." I gave Kenobi a look to make him back off before nodding slightly to the duchess. "I was a bounty hunter, yes, but I'm currently part of the GAR."

"And what rank do you hold?" Huh. I didn't actually know. It wasn't something we'd really talked about. Nor did I really care at that point.

"As a pacifist, what good is that information to you?" I replied smoothly, folding my hands behind my back. "You don't want a part in this war, I thought."

The duchess scowled at me before taking a long sip of her drink. "Master Kenobi introduced you as Kida Fett. Why did you not say this sooner?"

"Gar taldin ni jaonyc; gar sa buir, ori'wadaas'la," I said smoothly, catching her by surprise.

"You speak the dialect they speak on Concordia," she observed suspiciously.

"That's where I learned Mando'a," I admitted, still frowning at her. "And as per your accusation earlier, I wasn't pressed into this war. Nor was I a criminal...to the Republic. I think." I glanced at Obi-wan and Skywalker, the latter giving me a smirk. "Okay, I stole a jedi starfighter once, but I gave it back, so I don't know if that counts me as a criminal."

I earned a few chuckles from the room, but Satine only scowled. "And how would your father feel about your involvement in this war?"

"I can't say for sure," I growled. "He's dead. Killed by this war."

"I heard. And you feel that following his footsteps is the right path?"

"I'm not following his footsteps exactly, Your Highness." I was struggling to keep the frustration out of my voice. "And I'm in this fight to keep more kids from losing their fathers to this war."

The duchess pursed her lips, thinking. "You think more war will bring peace?"

"I think that abstaining from joining any fight is choosing a side already."

"Which is?"

"Death." The room fell silent at my words, even the jedi listening intently. "When you're not working to help those who are suffering from war, you're letting their torturers go unchecked."

Satine quirked an eyebrow. "So you think I should join this war? That my planet, that is dedicated to pacifism and has recently started to pull itself up from its civil wars, should join yet another, far greater, war?"

"I don't know anything about Mandalore, Your Highness," I allowed, sighing. "I don't know about your economy or your beliefs. Nor do I really care. But I know that if you choose to not help others now, that when the war inevitably finds its way to your door, no one will be there to help you in return."

"And you're so certain this war will come to Mandalore, why?" her advisor cut in.

I looked at him. "What's your name?"

"Merrik."

"Well, Merrik, have you always lived on Mandalore?"

"Yes," he replied, unsure of where my questions were going.

"So you'd say you're rather knowledgeable about your world, considering you've been immersed in it?"

"Well of course."

I stepped closer to him, cocking my head. "Then understand that my life has been surrounded by fighting and death from my first breaths." I glanced at Satine. "I know tactics. And I know groups of abusers, whether they be the Death Watch, slavers, gangs, or the Seperatist armies. They all have one thing in common." The room watched me. "No matter what you do, the war will always find you."

"Which is why," Obi-wan jumped back in. "A Republic military presence is the only sure defense against the Separatists." I turned and looked at him in shock, not sure if I agreed. I understood his concern and duty to expand the Republic loyalties, but it felt like he was pushing rather hard on her free will. Not to mention the swirls of emotion he was failing to tie down.

"Even extremists can be reasoned with," Satine argued, rising to her feet.

"Perhaps," Obi-wan allowed. "If one can be heard over the clanking of their battle droids.

Satine scoffed. "The sarcasm of a soldier."

"The delusion of a dreamer," he shot back. The two were close together now, glaring into each other's eyes.

"Duchess," Merrik cut in. "Master Jedi, it's been a long few days. I think we could all use a little rest and refreshment."

"Here here!" the Twi'lek senator cheered. I glanced at anakin, seeing the jedi had scooped up his own fancy glass of liquor, smirk clear on his face. "Now, let us put politics aside until after dinner."

"Thank the stars," I mumbled, moving to stand beside Anakin.

"Fine," both Obi-wan and Satine said harshly before the latter pushed past the jedi and left the room in a huff.

Obi-wan joined us as the group began to filter out to prepare for dinner. "You seemed rather comfortable," he said to me, watching the counselors follow their Duchess out. "You've certainly fallen into your role in the Republic easily."

"My role is something we need to figure out actually," I said before changing the subject. That was a topic for later. "But while I was calling for action, I wasn't doing it to try and coerce her to join the Republic." My tone, while controlled, was somewhat accusatory towards Kenobi.

He sighed as we finally left the room, the three of us walking down the grand, curving halls. "I understand. But Mandalore has no army, all of their warriors having been banished to their moons. If the Separatists attack them, they have no means of defending themselves."

"So they either fall to the Separatists, or groups like Death Watch fight them off," Anakin led my thinking.

I sighed. "And the people turn to Death Watch, since they saved them." Something occurred to me. "Though, that could be used in multiple ways."

"How do you mean?" Anakin asked.

"Death Watch would wait for military occupation or a full-fledged assault to intervene. Otherwise, they wouldn't be painted as heroes, right?" I asked openly. "The people need to be oppressed in order to need saviors."

"Yes," Obi-wan allowed.

"So if Duchess Satine allows the GAR to occupy her planet, Death Watch could still win, this time using the backing of the Separatists as a heroic effort to free Mandalore."

Anakin hummed. "She has a point, Master." He turned to me. "But, I have to disagree. Like you said, inaction is a choice in itself. If the Republic can repel a Seperatist attack, we'll be the heroes and Death Watch will have nothing."

My lips pressed into a line, but I let it drop. "If you say so."

"So," Anakin said after a moment, clearing his throat. "You and Satine have a history. I understood why he was a bit dismissive of our last topic. It was nothing we could influence more on this trip anyways. But the topic of Obi-wan's apparent heart palpitations for Duchess Satine? That was interesting.

"An extended mission when I was younger," Obi-wan explained. "Master Qui-Gon and I spent a year on Mandalore."

I didn't lose my vision, but instead, saw...more. Apparently this was something that happened now, like it had with Cut. As Obi-wan spoke, I saw my first glimpse of who I assumed was Qui-Gon. He was tall with long brown hair and a full beard. His eyes were a vibrant blue and filled with knowledge, but incredibly gentle.

"We were protecting the duchess from insurgents who had threatened her world."

I saw glimpses of a younger Obi-wan. I nearly laughed aloud at his padawan braid and rat tail in the back. What a dweeb. Beside him was a younger Satine. She was filled with fire and passion for life. Not to mention the obvious connection their younger selves seemed to have.

We entered the elevator as Obi-wan continued. "They sent bounty hunters after us. We were always on the run."

I saw a series of hunters, none of their faces very clear. I couldn't tell if I knew any of them. If any, it would have been maybe Jango or Bane. Most of the hunters weren't old enough, nor ballsy enough, to take a job like that.

"Living hand to mouth… never sure what the next day would bring."

Emotion rippled off of him, sending with it a wave of images. He and Satine in a cave, both of them lit only by the flickering firelight. Running through the desolated wastes of Mandalore's surface, avoiding the fire of an assassin. The two holding hands in a moment of tension. A kiss.

"Sounds romantic," Anakin joked, pulling me from my vision with a snort of my own laughter.

Kenobi, in turn, gave us both a disgruntled look in an attempt at throwing us off his trail. Anakin and I weren't stupid, though. Also, we both felt that wave of emotions come off of the jedi master anyways.

As the lift doors opened with a hiss, something panged in the force. Confusion. Worry. It was coming from Rex somewhere below us in the cargo bay.

...since when did I get so attuned to Rex's force signature?

"A civil war killed most of Satine's people," Obi-wan explained as we exited the lift. "Hence her aversion to violence. When she returned, she took on the difficult task of rebuilding her world alone."

"You didn't stay to help her?" Anakin asked, my visions showing a brief flash of Satine taking her thrown, watching Obi-wan's back exiting the room. She looked sad. Demolished, even.

"That would have been problematic." We entered a room-likely Kenobi's-and I watched as he moved a chair with the force casually. I was split between amusement at his mild abuse of the force and jealousy over how effortlessly he did it. "My duty as a jedi demanded I be elsewhere."

I took the liberty of sitting on Obi-wan's desk, while Anakin leaned on the doorframe. "Demanded," Anakin mused. "But it's obvious you had feelings for her. Surely that would affect your decision."

Man, it was a full-fledged blessing from the force that this boy's secret wasn't Galactic News. He was worse at hiding his obvious marriage to Padme than I was at my mild force-sensitivity.

"Oh, it did," Obi-wan said sadly, making me turn in shock. I certainly wasn't expecting him to admit attachment. "I live by the Jedi Code."

"Of course," Anakin said, making my eyebrow lift discreetly. "As Master Yoda says, a jedi must not form attachments." While I knew that, it occured to me that I actually had no idea what the Jedi Code actually said. I only knew what I'd learned from others, none of which were jedi.

"Yes," Obi-wan agreed. "But he usually leaves out the undercurrent of remorse." Sadness rippled off of the master, making Anakin and I both aware that the attachment had not gone away. Perhaps it had lessened...hidden in some part of his mind to the point that he forgot it was there. And then seeing her again made it resurface with a vengeance.

His wrist comm beeped. Kenobi seemed glad for a change of topic. "Yes, Captain?"

"General," Rex's voice came through. "Something's wrong with Skywalker's astromech. Scared him real good, sir. We've also lost contact with two of my men."

"I'm on my way down to assist you," Kenobi said, standing.

"I'll go, Master," Skywalker butt in. "If there's something dangerous down there, the clones and I can handle it. Kida?" he stopped at the door, giving me a smile. "Care to avoid further political discussions?"

"And miss the chance of Duchess Satine hating me more?" I joked, already following him. "That's a high price."

Obi-wan watched us leave with a roll of his eyes, Skywalker and I jumping into the elevator.

"So...Obi-wan has a girlfriend," I teased, looking forward at the door.

Anakin smirked. "They don't seem to like each other that much."

"Like you and Padme never bicker." I felt his shock and panic, but it melted away slowly, making me look. "I didn't mean to freak you out."

"I knew you knew," he dismissed. "It's just...weird."

I chuckled. "It must be nice though," I glanced at him. "To not be a total secret anymore."

Anakin hummed, opening his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the opening hiss of the doors. Instead of responding to me, he walked out, saying, "Alright men, what's the problem? I'm missing dinner."

Cody, R2, and Rex stood waiting for us under the bright florescent light. "We're not sure yet, sir," Cody replied. "There's still no sign of Mixer and Redeye."

I watched Rex gesture to his men, sending them searching for the missing clones, while R2 rolled forward, beeping anxiously.

"What's the matter, buddy?" Anakin asked, arms crossed. R2 beeped and whistled in response. "I know, I know. But I'm here now. Use your scanner. See if something's out of place." R2 obeyed, nearly knocking over Cody while the droid spun and rolled off into the dim hangar.

As I followed, I could feel that something was amidst. I did my best to remember how Redeye and Mixer had felt in the force, searching for them, but nothing came up. It wasn't long until R2 led us to a container that had toppled to its side, empty.

"Well," Rex grumbled. "What have we here? Looks like the contents of this box are missing."

I hummed, Skywalker replying lowly. "Or it got up and walked away." He turned to us. "Alright. Fan out. Separate squads. I'll contact Obi-wan." The clones parted ways, all of them searching for both their brothers and whatever had come out of that box.

As Skywalker and I walked after his astromech, he contacted Obi-wan. "Anakin," the jedi master's hushed voice came through. "What have you found?"

"There's a large open container and the contents are missing," Skywalker responded. "And I still have two men unaccounted for."

"That's not good." Kenobi's voice was quiet, trying not to worry the delegates that were likely in the same room as him. "Keep things quiet. I'll stay with the senators."

"Got it." As Anakin signed off with his former master, I followed the beeping astromech, the light from his head scanning nervously.

"Your droid," I said lowly, seeing it turn abruptly.

Anakin joined me in following it. "What's up? Did you find something?"

We followed R2 down a long hall of stacked crates, approaching one of the sparse fluorescent lights. My hand touched Anakin's arm as two white boots appeared at the edge of the circle of light.

"There you are," Anakin exclaimed, relieved. "Redeye, where have you been? You've had us all…" he trailed off for a moment, feeling my anxiety upon seeing the clone's strange movements. "...worried."

"What the hell?" I mumbled, drawing my blaster from my hip slowly. Something was wrong. Anakin wasn't looking with the force, too confident in his own abilities. But I could feel that there was nothing in the body that once held Redeye. He was dead.

"Redeye?" Anakin paused for a moment, seeing the body turn slowly at us. He ignited his lightsaber. Red dots lit up behind the clone, revealing long appendages that held Redeye in the air.

"That's not Redeye," I declared, aiming my pistol at the droid.

MANDO'A

Ka'ra - stars (ancient Mandalorian myth), ruling council of fallen kings

Gar taldin ni jaonyc; gar sa buir, ori'wadaas'la- no one cares who your father was; only the father you'll be (bloodline is not important compared to one's own actions in life)

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Sorry for the super delayed update. I've been rather busy of late. I'll try to post more often!

As always, shares, likes, and reviews/comments are welcome!

-Ryder