The Three Moons of Tatooine

Mandalore I

"This is going from bad to worse," Bail commented, as the news continued to discuss the situation on Mandalore. "Only at the heights of the Children of the Watch & the Death Watch ever manage to gather this much bad publicity... and Duchess Sabine is a pacifist!"

"Is she truly?" Mon inquired, with a thoughtful expression. "Would she demmand dissarment of a warrior culture by threatening with exile or to be dealt with?"

"Still, we can't allow this to continue," Bail sighed. "Otherwise, there will be a rebellion and I rather Mandalore to remain neutral, rather than the future Mand'alor deciding to join the Separatists." He turned to Padme. "Is there a way that Knight Skywalker might help us? He has an uncanny ability to turn the public's opinion." Bail frowned when Padme winced. "Is there something wrong?"

"Ani has chosen sides on this matter... and it's not with the New Mandalorians" Padme informed her friends carefully. "The "being a mandabrian is a religion and the so called Duchess is censoring them and occupying their planet, not to mention, stealing their religious metal that holds the same weight as the kyber crystal to the Jedi"... well, that's an exact copy of Ani's little speech. Luckily, the reporter kept his name out of it, maybe because of some hero worship they have for my husband."

"Had he anything to do with the good publicity the Children of the Watch got?" Mon asked suspiciously.

"Ani never lies to the public," Padme chose her words carefully. "He needed to give the Children of the Watch and True Mandalorians a good cover so the New Mandalorian and the Republic could not touch them, while they restablish themselves without any interference." Padme grimaced. "I don't know if he wanted it to get this bad, or if things got out of hand... but he is surely enjoying the result. He does not have a high opinion of the Duchess."

"So, he won it be of any help," Bail sighed.

"Unless, you want to add more fuel to the fire," Padme replied with a shrug. "We can always contact the Armorer. Her tribe has stablished themselves on Zygerria and she is fair. She could take Paz Vizla and claim the dark saber." Padme offered. "She has claimed my husband an ally to the Children of the Watch and a friend. She accepts the vode as manlalorians, even if they don't follow her version of the creed and treats the healer vode with respect, even if they do not wish to battle. As long as you know how to defend yourself, protect the weak, especially foundlings, and wear some kind of armor you are good in her eyes."

"Not one set of armor is the same," Anakin quoted, as he strutted inside the meeting room. He kissed Padme and sat next to her, after bowing to Bail and Mon. "That is what the Armorer told me. She even considers your dresses as armor, specially with all the hidden weapon pockets." Anakin snickered. "She also told me that Mandalore is a cursed planet and al lof the Children of the Watch think the same. Other than for beskar, they won't return there."

"Great!" Bail huffed, uncharacteris­tically.

"What brings you here Knight Skywalker?" Mon asked in amusement, she adores Anakin- it is always fun having him around.

"Well, the Republic and Jedi Order are going to Mandalore to discuss the ownership of beskar, as it is a religious metal," Anakin began to explain, playing with Padme's hair, making her giggle. "As Obi has... a past with the Duchess," Anakin grimace. "They had the bright idea to choose me as their representative, as I'm fluent in Mando'a and have a link to the Children of the Watch and True Mandalorians."

"Fuel to the fire," Padme muttered, putting her face in her hands, as Mon laughed out loud and Bail sighed. "Ani, please don't make things harder." Padme paused noticing the frown on Anakin's face. "It's everything ok?"

"I... I don't know," Anakin sighed. "I just feel like I'm missing something big. I don't like it."

Especially, since Anakin's words were 100% true. This time he was not manipulating anyone or leading others to believe something. He felt that something was off and had no idea of what it could be. In times like this Anakin cursed the fact that Mandalore had been mostly dealt with by Obi-Wan in the other timeline. He was going into this mission blind.