My Unfortunate Fate

chapter 35

Situations are easier to point out when shared by oneself.

This time of battle was taking quite a toll on us, I must admit.

After going through many trials and tribulations, Anakin and I have been assigned to join Obi-Wan on a mission to the pacifist planet of Mandalore to uncover a plot by a local terrorist group and ensure the Duchess' safety. He's been there for a few days now, and we've only just arrived.

Luckily for me, this mission shouldn't offer much action. We're only here as a security measure, joining the Duchess Satine Kryze on her private ship, the Coronet, as we escort her back to Coruscant for her meeting with the Senate.

Anakin and I walk among a few of our men, notably Commander Cody and Captain Rex, through the Mandalorian hangar and join Master Kenobi as Duchess Satine angrily boards her ship, storming off from him. Whatever they were talking about, that couldn't be good.

"Reporting for escort duty, General," we say, standing in front of him. I don't often refer to people all that formally, but I think this welcoming was more ironic, if anything.

"Oh, you two," Obi-Wan says, his face lifting a bit in relief. He looks exhausted. "Am I glad to see you."

"Hmm. You sound tired," Anakin notices.

"The peaceful ways of the locals wore me out a bit." He starts walking to the ship, eager to get this mission underway. We follow, leading our men into the Coronet.

***

"You know your marching orders," Master Kenobi states. We've gathered our men in the cargo hold to discuss this upcoming mission. "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."

Anakin walks up to adress them, and I follow him. "The Death Watch may be backed by the Separatists," he warns, "so stay sharp."

"Artoo, make sure to check around here for anything suspicious," I order the astromech. "We can never be too careful."

"Anything else, sir?" Rex asks.

"No, that will be all," Obi-Wan replies. The clones retreat into the cargo hold, and his comlink beeps. "Yes?"

"The Duchess and her retinue requests your presence," someone says on the device. I can't pinpoint who it is, as I don't recognize their voice.

"Very well."

We all retreat into the elevator, headed for Satine's quarters, and Cody and Rex follow us. Obi-Wan still seems stressed about this mission, and I can tell it's something personal. The problem isn't all that hard to find, actually, since it seems his unease grows from the Duchess' mere mention. Maybe it's something about their encounter in the hangar.

"I sense some anxiety from you about the Duchess," Anakin speaks up, knowing I noticed the same thing. "She couldn't be in safer hands."

"Yes, I know," Master Kenobi replies.

"Then why..."

"Never mind," he refutes. "It's all in the past."

"So you are close to her?" I question. Easy assumption to make.

"I knew her," Obi-Wan says brashly. "A long time ago."

Master Kenobi looks frustrated by the fact that he's even near Satine. Something is going on with him, and we're going to figure out what.

***

"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," Duchess Satine states.