Hey guys! I have returned with a brand new story! I need you guys to know how excited I am to write this tale! And with Clone Wars officially over with an amazing series finale, that means I can now write this story with all the holes I had stuck in my mind filled! So please enjoy!

This story includes elements from Season 5 Episode 15 "The Lawless" as well as elements from the audio book Star Wars the Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark. Chapter: "Kenobi's Shadow." Some elements have been altered from the chapter ending to fit this story. I DO NOT OWN CLONE WARS! I just worship the ground it walks on!

Prologue

So much for a quiet trip home. Nineteen year old, Jedi Padawan Sasha Monroe, was on her way back from a simple intel mission on a public frigate. She would have taken a Republic ship, but there was a reason she wasn't. All she had to do was take a shuttle of troopers to a small outpost in the outer rim and deliver information for Master Kit Fisto. The information was so vital to the victory of an upcoming battle that the Jedi Council couldn't risk transmitting it through normal means. So Sasha was dispatched to deliver the information with a small group of clones while her Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, remained behind for a series of important Council sessions and meetings.

The mission went fairly smoothly until they arrived to the outpost to find it was already in the heat of battle with a couple of Separatist starships. Flying them down, Sasha managed to avoid the heat of the battle. But they still managed to get shot down. That resulted in them crashing just outside the hanger of the outpost. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt. Just a few bumps, bruises, and a couple of concussions. Sasha was still feeling the sting from her bruises. Anyway, after they crashed, they hurried over and gave the intel to Master Fisto's commanding officer as Master Fisto was engaged in the aerial attack. They then stayed to help in the attack and thankfully came out of it with a victory. However, Sasha needed to immediately return to the Temple once her mission was complete. And a majority of the forces from the outpost, along with Master Fisto, were leaving to the battle that actually needed the intel which was in the opposite direction from Coruscant. So Sasha was kind of stuck with finding a way back. They offered to drop her off on a system on the way that could get her transportation home as she didn't want to take any of the ships they may require for their battle.

So now she sat on a public frigate that was due to drop off at Mandalore before making its way into Republic space. Sasha was actually thrilled to go to Mandalore. When she saw the ships schedule and stops that listed Mandalore, the first thing she thought about was popping in to say hi to Satine and maybe even grab some lunch with her. She was in no real hurry to get back and when she had contacted the Council to tell them about her delay with the public transport, they told her to be safe and that there was no rush. She also didn't mention where exactly it was going to let off either, just when it was due to arrive to Coruscant. What struck her as odd though during the transmission with the council was that her Master seemed extremely distant. She could tell something was wrong and he wasn't saying it. She had tried to contact him afterward, but he didn't respond. That struck her as odd, but she assumed it was because he was busy and would call her later. It just worried her since that he seemed so out of it during the transmission that when he didn't answer it made a nervous pit form in her stomach.

A voice suddenly came over the loud speakers through the ship, pulling Sasha from her thoughts.

"Attention all passengers! We are arriving to the Mandalore Spaceport! If you are disembarking, please gather your belongings and stand ready at the exit ramp. However, please be aware we will not be laying over for the period of time listed on your tickets. So if you are planning to return to this vessel, it is recommended you remain on board for the duration of the layover. Thank you for your cooperation."

Sasha raised a curious eyebrow at that. They had stopped at two other systems before this and the transport was known for remaining parked at the spaceport for at least a few hours to allow everyone to get off and stretch their legs. So what could be the reason for the short stop here? Something had to wrong on Mandalore. Sasha could feel it in the force. There was dark cloud forming around it in the force that almost made her feel ill. She needed to investigate once she would get down onto the planet. And she needed to find Satine as soon as possible.

She felt the ship pull out of hyperspace and suddenly felt a familiar presence on the surface below. Master? She thought. What was he doing there? Maybe something had happened. Immediately, Sasha blocked out her mind in the force to him before he could notice. The last thing she wanted was to alert him to her presence at the moment as she also sensed other force users, mainly dark siders, down on the surface below. And she didn't want them to sense her either. So she was going in blind on this. Well blind to them, at least. But a new worry settled into her, why were there dark siders on Mandalore?

As soon as the transport landed at the spaceport, Sasha moved through the crowd that was trying to disembark at a quick pace. Once outside, she could Sundari in the distance. She hustled over to the speeder rentals and snagged a speeder bike as it would be the least obvious vehicle to take. As she was mounting up the bike, she overheard on a nearby sound system that all transports leaving for Sundari were cancelled for the time being. That made her worry grow worse. So she had to be stealthy that was for sure. Starting up the bike, Sasha rode off across the desert of Mandalore toward the capitol, keeping herself as hidden as she could.

As soon as she was close enough, Sasha parked the speeder at the base of the dome and glanced up to the landing platforms high above. Standing on the bike, Sasha used the force and gave herself a massive boost up to the platform. She didn't get as high as she wanted, but she got high enough that she was able to grab ahold of a low hanging pipe. Gripping it tightly, Sasha started to pull herself up and around to the edge of the platform. Once at the edge, Sasha peered carefully over the side to serve the area. She gasped inwardly as she saw several red and black Mandalorian's marching around the platform. They didn't look like Death Watch. So who were they? She then spotted at the far end of the platform a ship wreck that was being put out by the fire droids. She almost recognized the ship. It looked like the Twilight, but it was beyond repair or recognition. That must have been how her Master got there, but why did he come in the Twilight and not his Jedi Starfighter? She pondered that as she pulled herself onto the platform and slipped toward cover without being seen with ease.

She could still sense her Master and the two others in the force in the center of the city. Which meant they were all at the palace, or somewhere near enough by. However, her goal was the palace and Duchess Satine. Sasha stuck primarily to the shadows as she snuck her way into the city scape. She could not risk being seen or caught, so she had to find a way to get to the palace without the worry of wandering eyes. Sasha then recalled the last time she was there that there were a series of underground tunnels that ran under the city as Satine had her guards search there for the sniper when she was attacked on her birthday.

Sasha found the large entrance into the tunnels near the docks. She didn't know how much of a labyrinth they were going to be, but it was her only option. Sasha leapt down into the large hole that lead to the tunnels. She thought about using the lift that was design for that exact purpose, but she was afraid it was draw too much attention. So using the force and leaping was her best bet. Using the force, Sasha cushioned her landing to prevent her from breaking any bones or causing serious harm to herself. She landed on one knee and then tucked and rolled out of it. Once back on her feet, Sasha noticed the main entrance into the tunnels. Closing her eyes to the force, Sasha sensed which direction she needed to go. She focused primarily on Satine's presence and was able to see the way. Sasha took off into the tunnels, using the force as her guide, toward the palace. As soon as she reached the tunnel that lead to the palace, Sasha found an opening that was fifty times narrower than the one she had jumped down. There was a singular ladder that led up to a crate at the top of it. Sasha started her climb up, using the force to leap from rung to rung as she didn't have time to climb a hundred or more rung ladder.

Once at the top, Sasha carefully pushed open the lid and looked around at her surroundings. The coast was clear. Climbing out of the hole, Sasha did a double check of her surroundings before closing the man hole lid. She then turned her attention to the palace that gleamed up above her. She could sense Satine and the two dark siders in there. Her Master, was not there, but he was on his way from what she sensed. Sasha looked around for a way in that wouldn't attract attention and found a vent high enough up that it would take a couple of force leaps to get to it. So she leapt. She reached the vent in a few moments and pushed it open so she could crawl in and close it behind her.

As soon as she was securely inside, a pack of Mandalorians with jet packs flew past. She held her breath for a moment until they were gone. Safe for now. She then turned and started to quietly crawl through the ventilation shaft towards Satine's signature. Soon she reached the vent opening she needed. Keeping to the shadows and masking herself entirely now from everyone present, Sasha observed the scene below. Sitting in the throne was a man in all black with a red and black tattooed face, and horns coming from his bald head. He looked like a Nightbrother of Dathomir. Next to him on his right was another Nightbrother, but this man was larger in stature, muscles, and horns compared to his comrade sitting in the throne. Both seemed familiar, but Sasha could figure out from where. On the left of the man sitting was a man dressed in a political worthy suit. It took her a moment to recognize the former Prime Minister, Almec. Satine had mentioned him before and Sasha had seen photos, but what was he doing here? Wasn't he in prison? And at the foot of the steps to the throne were two Mandos in black and red armor.

However, Sasha's breath hitched slightly as she saw Duchess Satine Kryze, kneeling on the other side of the throne beside Almec. Satine looked so exhausted. Her hair hung loosely and unkempt on her shoulders. Her clothes were burned, torn, and wrinkled. She was staring at the floor before her, lost in a daze while her hands resting behind her. What the hell happened here? Who were these maniacs at the throne? What happened to Satine? And where was Obi…

Her thoughts were cut off when the doors to the throne room opened and her Master was dragged in. Sasha felt her jaw drop in horror as she saw him. He was dressed in the red and black Mandalorian armor minus the bucket. His face was covered in dirt and she could tell her was favoring a few injuries as he walked. However, on either side of him were two more Mandos with the same paint coloring, and they were dragging him in as if he were their prisoner, which he was as Sasha put the pieces together. They dragged him all the way to the throne, stopping about a stone's throw away from the man on the throne. Satine slowly raised her head up to look at Obi-Wan. There was no look of relief on her face, but of defeat. Sasha silently gulped as she watched the scene play before her.

"Your noble flaw is a weakness shared by you," the man on the throne said before he slowly raised his hand up. Suddenly, Satine lifted into the air, being choked by the force. "And the Duchess." Sasha watched as Satine struggled in his grasp. The man rose from the throne and descended the stairs toward Obi-Wan. "You should have chosen the dark side, Master Jedi."

"Obi-Wan," Satine gasped.

The man continued. "Your emotions betray you. Your fear and… yes, your anger." Obi-Wan lowered his chin. Sasha could tell slightly that he was in fact angry and he was trying to suppress it. "Let your anger deepen your hatred."

"Don't listen to him, Obi…" Satine struggled to say through pained gasps.

"Quiet," the other Nightbrother growled.

There was a moment of tense silence then her Master responded.

"You can kill me, but you will never destroy me," Obi-Wan said with a sense of determination, but Sasha could hear the anger piercing through it. Almost as if he was twisting a knife into the man before him. "It takes strength to resist the dark side." He raised his chin. "Only the weak embrace it," he bit back as he attempted to charge forward. However, the men holding him kept him back.

"It is more powerful than you know," the red and black Nightbrother said.

"And those who oppose it are more powerful than you will ever be," Obi-Wan shot back.

Sasha had never seen her Master like this. Ever! The way he was saying those words. The anger in his tone. The hatred in his eyes. Sasha was actually afraid of what Obi-Wan Kenobi might do to this man. However, he was still holding the Duchess captive and he was the obvious enemy here. So she didn't entirely blame him for his reactions or emotions. It just terrified her was all.

"I know where you're from," Obi-Wan continued. "I have been to your village. I know the decision to join the dark side wasn't yours. The Nightsisters made it for you."

"SILENCE!" The man snapped, cutting him off. "You think you know me. It was I who languished for years thinking nothing but you!" The man was pissed now. He gestured at Obi-Wan while holding what looked to be Pre Viszla's dark saber. If this man had that, then that meant Vizsla was dead. She shuddered at the thought. She also listened to what the man was saying to Obi-Wan as she tried to put a name to his face. "Nothing, but this moment." He pointed at Satine, who was still struggling. "And now the perfect tool for my vengeance is in front of us." What is he talking about? Sasha thought. The man was backing up toward the throne. "I never planned on killing you, but I will make you share my pain, Kenobi." He spat Obi-Wan's name.

"Don't!" Obi-Wan begged as he tried to move forward, but was knocked to his knees by one of the two Mandos beside him. The other smacked him in the back of the head with his blasters, keeping him down. Their blasters now drawn at his head. Obi-Wan looked up and started to reach out with his left hand.

Sasha put two and two together of what this man was about to do. She knew it just based off what Obi-Wan was attempting to do and what the man had said. She had to do something. Sasha started to move… but it was already too late. The dark saber activated and the man pulled Satine forward with the force. Then in one swift motion… he stabbed the saber through her middle. Sasha wanted to scream as she watched in horror what he did, but now really couldn't risk being spotted. She kept her walls up as she clapped her hands to her mouth as tears started to escape.

"Satine…" Obi-Wan gasped.

Satine hissed in pain as Obi-Wan stared on in horror, just like Sasha. After a second delay, Obi-Wan sprang to his feet just as the man, who just harmed Satine, dropped her with the force. Her body fell limp toward the floor. Obi-Wan was by her side in an instant and immediately turned her around, and cradled her in his arms. He brushed a stray hair from her face as she seemed to slowly come to. The man, in the meantime, resumed his seat at the thrown with a devilish smirk on his face. Sasha turned her attention back to Obi-Wan and Satine.

"Remember… my dear Obi-Wan," Satine breathed as she reached up and stroked his cheek. "I loved you always. I always… will…" Then her last breath left her lips. Her hand dropped from his cheek and his expression was completely hidden to her. But she didn't need to see his face to know what he was feeling. Heartbreak. Sorrow.

Sasha watched as the tears flowed from her own eyes as Obi-Wan held Satine close to him, kissing her hand that he was still holding. But there was also something else. The dark side was seeping its way into his thoughts and she could feel it from the vent. That meant the man responsible. The two dark side users could feel it too.

The man laughed. "And now we see the true Obi-Wan Kenobi," the man spoke after a long silent moment. "The one he hides behind a mask of wit and charm. The one who yearns to be set free."

"You can't win, Maul," Obi-Wan bit back without looking at the man. Maul? Sasha thought trying to remember where she had heard that name, but for some reason could at this moment. But it was on the tip of her tongue. "Not this way."

"Do we kill him now, brother?" the taller Nightbrother spoke up, breaking the somber tension of the room.

"No," the one known as Maul said with a slight shake of his head. "Imprison him below. Let him drown his misery." That was the cue for the two Mandos to restrain Obi-Wan, who was slowly and carefully laying Satine back down on the floor. They pulled him off the floor and away from her body. "Take him to his cell to rot."

With that, the Mandos pulled Obi-Wan out of the throne room with his head hanging low and his sore body still protesting movement. Sasha lowered her head to the metal bottom of the vent and silently sobbed. Satine was dead. Her Master was captured and heartbroken. And all she did was watch from a vent. She felt so mad at herself for not doing something. For just sitting there.

"Get the Duchess' body out of here," she heard Maul say.

Slowly raising her head, Sasha watched as the two Mandos that stood at the foot of the throne walk over to Satine's lifeless form. They holstered their blasters and gathered the body into their arms. They then proceeded to drag her body way. Sasha noticed they were heading in the direction of the living quarters. She had no clue what these Mandalorians were planning to do with her, but she didn't know what else she could do for the Duchess. Sasha slinked back into the vent and decided it was best to leave before she could be caught.

While she crawled, Sasha thought about her Master. She knew she needed to save him, but the question was how she was going to pull it off. She played with the idea that she could nab one of those kits and sneak in to save him. She also thought about contacting Anakin Skywalker and the Council, and see if they can stage a rescue. But she knew she wasn't going to just leave him behind. She would rather take the stern talking to and punishment later then leaving him to rot in a cell on Mandalore.

Sasha continued her way through the vents until she spotted the two Mandalorians as they appeared to take Satine's form all the way to the private medical wing of the palace. Sasha didn't remember this being here last time she was on planet. Maybe it was but maybe her Master was put in his room so he could have more privacy and not be bothered by others in the medical wing. Or maybe it was because Satine completely forgot and wanted someplace where they could have moments alone without wandering eyes. If what she just witnessed didn't prove what she already knew, the argument she and Obi-Wan had on Stew-Jon about attachments surely did.

Anyway, Sasha stopped her movements through the vents as she watched them lay Satine down in one of the few examination rooms on the bed. As they left, Dr. Zaz appeared, being escorted by two of the red and black mandos. He was ushered into the examination room with a shove. Once he was inside, the closed the door and left back the way they came. Sasha huffed silently and crawled ahead to see into the room. She frowned when she saw Dr. Zaz kneeling before the bed. She could hear his sobs. Sasha carefully removed the vent grate and poked her head into the room. The room had no cameras or listening devices. So it was clear.

"Psst."

Dr. Zaz's head popped up and he scrambled around to his feet to look at Sasha. He looked almost afraid of her. Sasha carefully pulled herself from the vent and landed with a quiet thud into the room.

"I'm not here to hurt you," she whispered.

Dr. Zaz looked her up and down. "Wait, I know you. You're the apprentice to Master Kenobi, right?" He whispered. Sasha nodded. He sighed in relief. "I thought you were one of them. What are you doing here?"

"It's a bit of a long story, and one that I don't exactly have much time to tell," Sasha explained still whispering.

Dr. Zaz nodded. He then looked back at Satine. Sasha followed his gaze. Up close now, she could see the bruises on her skin, the cuts, the burns, and of course… the saber wound in her belly. Sasha frowned.

"Do you know what happened?" Zaz asked. "I was in my office at the hospital when suddenly two of those warriors arrived and dragged me here without explanation. Now I understand why. It's just… who could do this to her?"

Sasha briefly explained that the horned menace, whose name was still escaping her, had captured both the Duchess and her Master then killed the Duchess. Sasha still inwardly cursed herself for not knowing the name of the Nightbrothers. But right now was not the time to figure them out. Dr. Zaz frowned as brought a hand to his mouth.

"How dreadful," he moaned.

"What will happen to her?" Sasha asked.

He looked at her. "I will need to perform a series of tests before I can have her be prepared for… for a proper burial." He hesitated on the last part.

It almost didn't seem real to talk about Satine like that. Sasha nodded. She then walked over and grabbed the Duchess' cold, limp hand. She felt the tears well up again.

"I need to go save my Master," Sasha said softly. "Please take good care of her."

Dr. Zaz nodded. "She was my friend and trusted colleague. She will be well looked after."

Sasha nodded and wiped away the tears as she moved away from the body, slowly.

"Please contact me if you need anything," Sasha said as she produced a commlink from her belt and handed it to the Doctor.

He grabbed the commlink and held it close to his chest. "You have my word."

Sasha nodded and returned to the vent. Before she climbed in, she took one last glance at Satine.

"Good-bye, Duchess," Sasha said softly. "I wish I… we could have saved you."

Sasha then pulled herself back into the vent and disappeared.

Dr. Zaz watched her go with a frown before looking back to Satine. Something the young girl said made him think for a moment. Putting away the new commlink he was give, Zaz pulled out his own and placed a call to a specialist he knew.

Sasha managed to escape the palace and disappear once again into the tunnels below the city. She reached out and sensed her Master's presence near the prisons. She started making her way there as quickly as she could to save him. As she hurried along, she thought back to the Nightbrothers. The more she had thought about them and their connection to her master, the more she realized that she may actually know who they were after all. One name suddenly come to mind. Savage Oppress. Sasha remembered hearing that name a while ago as she had heard he was responsible for the death of many Jedi and the Toydarian King. But he had disappeared off the map for…

Suddenly it struck Sasha like a bus. That was Savage Oppress. The tall, yellow and black one that is. But the moment she remembered his name and everything he had done. She remembered hearing about the return of Maul. The menace who killed Qui-Gon Jinn, her Master's master. She remembered when Obi-Wan had returned from a secret mission only to be escorted to the Halls of Healing as he nearly collapsed down the ramp of the ship he had return in. She remembered overhearing his conversation with Master Yoda from the hallway of the healers about saying that it was Maul who had done that to him and that he really was back. She then remembered hearing only a week ago that this Maul person was with Savage Oppress on Florrum facing off against Hando Ohnaka as well as her Master and Master Adi Gallia, who sadly did not return from that mission. She never had a name to the face as her Master didn't like talking about him. But now she did. That menace who killed Satine was Maul.

She felt a mix of sorrow and rage build inside of her as she realized that Maul had taken another person so close to her Master away from him. She wanted scream. To go back and deal with him herself. But she needed to focus on saving her Master.

Suddenly, Sasha heard the sounds of blaster fire and explosions echoing through the tunnels. She then felt her Master's presence heading toward the docks at a rapid pace. Something had changed. Something had happened while she was down there. Now sprinting, Sasha hurried toward the tunnel exit by the docks. She had to catch up with Obi-Wan. As soon as she was out of the tunnels, she kept to the shadows once again as she hustled toward the docks. However, she skidded to a stop when she saw the docks where involved in a heavy fire fight. Sasha took to cover behind some nearby crates as she tried to get a scan of the area and where he Master was. She then spotted his vibrate blue blade at the other end of the docks. He was boarding a ship with the help of… was that a member of Death Watch? She recognized the armor immediately as being the female Death Watch member who was the right hand to Vizsla. Sasha had so many questions, but if he was boarding of his own free will that meant that he was out of danger. As soon as he disappeared on the ship, she watched as it took off toward the skies.

Sasha sighed in relief that he was safely away as she made the executive decision and decided it be best that she return to her forgotten speeder bike at the base of the dome. Moving without being seen or caught, Sasha managed to make it back down to the edge of the platform and slide down toward the waiting speeder bike. As soon as she landed, she ran over to the bike, started it up, and zipped back off toward the spaceport. As she drove the speeder bike, she sensed her Master's presence leave the system as the ship must have launched into hyperspace. Sasha relaxed her grip on the handles slightly. Obi-Wan was away from Mandalore, but she could sense something worse was coming. Now she desperately needed to get on the next transport home. This layover had revealed so much to her. More than she was expecting. But the questions that she had asked herself after that was…

Should anyone know she was actually there? Or should she keep it to herself for now?

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