The Perfect Jedi • Anakin Skywalker

Ch 14: Duchess Satine

"Your Highness" I said bowing.

"I remember a time when Jedi were not generals but peacekeepers" she said.

"We are protectors" I said. "Your Highness. Particularly yours at the moment. We fight for peace"

"What an amusing contradiction" she said.

"What Master Organa means 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" Obi-Wan said.

"I asked for no such thing" she said.

"That may be true, but majority of your court did" he said.

"I do not remember you as one to hide behind excuses" she said.

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

My eyes went wide as I looked down. Obi-Wan walked back towards me.

"There may be two sides to every dilemma but the duchess only favors hers" he said.

I watched as Obi-Wan and Satine went back and forth. One of the droids handed me a drink as I took a sip. Satine pushed past him and out the door.

"Are you really drinking?" He asked.

"I was thirsty" I said.

He grabbed the drink from my hand giving it back to a droid. I followed him out into the halls as I smiled.

"You and Satine have a history" I said.

"An extended mission when I was younger. Master Qui-Gon and I spent a year on Mandalore, protecting the duchess from insurgents who had threatened her world" he said.

As we walked into the lift he continued on.

"They sent bounty hunters after us. We were always on the run, living hand to mouth, never sure what the next day would bring" he said.

"Sounds romantic" I said.

He glared at me as I smiled, getting off the lift.

"A civil war killed most of her people, hence her aversion to violence" he said. "When she returned, she took on the difficult task of rebuilding her world alone."

"You didn't stay to help her?" I asked.

"That would have been problematic" he said as we walked into the quarters. "My duty as a Jedi demanded I be elsewhere."

"Demanded? But it's obvious you had feelings for her. Surely that would affect your decision" I said leaning against the wall.

"Oh it did" he said. "I live by the Jedi Code."

"Of course" I sighed. "As Master Yoda says 'a Jedi must not form attachments'."

"Yes but he usually leaves out the undercurrent of remorse" he said.

I thought about Anakin when Cody contacted us.

"Somethings wrong with Skywalker? Uh Organa's astromech. Scared him real good, sir. I've also lost contact with two of my men" he said.

"I'm on my way down to assist you" Obi-Wan said.

"I'll go" I said. "If there's something dangerous down there, the clones and I can handle it."

I walked down below deck, meeting Gree and the clones.

"All right, men. What's the problem? I'm missing dinner" I said.

"We're not sure yet, sir but there's still no sign of Mixer and Redeye" Cody said.

R-2 shook as I kneeled down.