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THE TOWERING spires of the Jedi Temple loomed ahead as Aruna Souza and Anakin Skywalker strode through the grand halls, the air thick with tension. They had just returned from Orto Plutonia, and the outcome—while peaceful—hadn't come without difficulties. Master Windu had summoned both of them for a debrief, and Aruna could feel the storm brewing.
As they approached the council chamber, Anakin leaned in, whispering sarcastically, "Maybe if you hadn't tried to talk the Assembly to death, this wouldn't be happening."
Aruna shot him a glare, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Or maybe if you hadn't been so eager to jump into a fight every five seconds, we wouldn't have gotten half the lecture we're about to get."
"Maybe you have, but I don't particularly enjoy the idea of sitting through one with you as a co-defendant."
The doors to the council chamber slid open, revealing Master Windu seated, his gaze already locked on the two of them. His expression was stern, but that was hardly surprising—Windu's patience was legendary, though his tolerance for recklessness was not.
"Knights Skywalker. Knight Souza. Please, sit."
They obeyed, though the tension between them still lingered in the air. Aruna could practically feel Anakin's smirk despite the situation, and she struggled to keep her irritation in check.
Windu folded his hands in front of him, his voice calm but firm. "I've received the reports from your mission to Orto Plutonia. While the conflict between the Pantorans and the Talz was resolved without further bloodshed, it seems there were... complications."
Aruna shifted uncomfortably. "Master Windu, we did everything we could to maintain the peace—"
"Did you?" Windu interrupted, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Because what I see in these reports is two Jedi who were more focused on their rivalry than on the mission at hand."
Anakin leaned back in his chair, his casual demeanor a stark contrast to Aruna's more tense posture. "Master, with all due respect, we managed to resolve the situation. That's what matters, right?"
Windu's eyes flicked over to Anakin, his voice taking on a harder edge. "What matters, Skywalker, is that two Jedi—two Knights—should be able to put their personal differences aside for the greater good. Your rivalry with Knight Souza jeopardized that mission."
Aruna bristled slightly, shooting a glance at Anakin. "With all due respect, Master, if someone wasn't constantly undermining my efforts to negotiate—"
Anakin cut in before she could finish. "Undermining? You mean stepping in when your endless talking wasn't getting anywhere?"
"Talking is how we avoid unnecessary conflict, Anakin. Something you should try sometime."
