Cuyan~ (OC x Clone wars)

Mandalore

We're heading to Mandalore to talk to the Duchess and leader of The Council of Neutral Systems, and Obi-Wan is mentally freaking out. Anxiety and confusion are radiating off of him in waves. "General."

He's startled for a second before turning to me. "What is it, Ellor?" he asks tersely.

"I can feel your anxiety. What's up?"

"It's nothing," he says, brushing me off. I snort.

"Suuuure it is. Guess I'll have to find out on my own." He gives me an exasperated look.

"So, do you believe the rumors? The Supreme Pacifist herself actually creating an army?"

He frowns. "I don't believe the rumors, I only wish to find who is spreading them and why."

"Fair enough." I let the matter go, honing in on his emotions.

"I can feel you doing that. Stop." Man, he's more uptight than usual.

"Got anything to hide?" I ask sweetly.

"Not right now Ellor." His voice is dripping in exhaustion, so I truly let it go. 

We arrive at Mandalore where a peculiarly dressed guard tells us that the Duchess is waiting for us. Obi-Wan sweeps an elegant bow and says, "Far be it from me to keep the Duchess waiting," as he and I step onto the moving-platform-speeder thing. He crosses his arms, and his immense tension is amusing and also worrying. We speed across the city to a dramatic palace with glass walls to let in the light. There's a mosaic portrait of a regal woman I recognize easily as the Duchess.

"General Kenobi." A tall, pale-skinned man approaches us. 

"Thank you for meeting with me, Prime minister Almec." They clasp hands.

"I welcome you as a servant of the people, but I'm troubled by the false rumours that brought you here. Mandalore would never turn against the republic. The duchess Satine values peace more than her own life," the Prime Minister says as we walk through the throne room. 

"Oh, I'm aware of the Duchess's views," Obi-Wan says, with an odd tone I can't quite distinguish between his "Ellor you are so reckless whyyyy" tone and "Ellor you're going to get yourself hurt and that would be bad" tone. 

"Mandalore's violent past is behind us. All our warriors were exiled to our moon Concordia if they refused peace. They died out years ago." Oh, I highly doubt that. Mysterious super-warriors don't just "Die out."

"Hm. Are you sure, I recently ran into a man who wore Mandalorian Armor, Jango Fett," my General responds. True, true, though I wouldn't exactly call that recent, it was several months ago.

"Jango Fett was a common bounty hunter! How he acquired that armor is beyond me," the Prime Minister says as the woman from the mosaic walks into the room accompanied by several guards. I feel Obi-Wan go tense beside me, something about the duchess sets him off. Intriguing.

"Well. Master Kenobi. My shining Jedi Knight to the rescue yet again," The duchess says regally to Obi-Wan before taking a seat on the throne. "Padawan Helagen. It's nice to meet you."

I incline my head politely. "Likewise, Duchess."

"After all these years your even more beautiful than ever," Obi-Wan says, and I give him a sidelong glance. After all these years... Did he know her? Hmm.

"Kind words from a man who accuses me of treachery," she says sternly.

"I would never accuse you of personal wrongdoing, Duchess. However, a separatist Saboteur attacked one of our republic cruisers. A Mandalorian saboteur." He holds out a holodisk that shows a Mandalorian running and shooting. I wince at the sound of clones crying out as they die, which does not go unnoticed by the Duchess. She seems frustrated, understandably so whether the rumors are true or not. Almec denies the possibility of that, and learns that the saboteur killed himself. "These commanders fought in many wars, often against the Jedi," Obi-Wan reminds them.