Revan never liked politics. No matter what, he tried to stay away from the Senate and planetary governments. Political life in the Republic was too dirty a business. What was the reason? Politicians who put their own interests above others? The system itself, unable to react quickly to changes in the galaxy? There was no definitive answer. There was only the fact that the Republic's space was cracking at the seams. More and more people were dissatisfied, more and more planets needed help... and the senators took longer and longer to make decisions.
Revan, however, could not stand delay. Just as he could not tolerate the Order's passivity during the Mandalorian Wars, he could not tolerate the inaction of the Republic's political apparatus.
Apathy is death. Kreia had deeply ingrained this thought into her student's mind.
But no matter how Revan tried to stay out of politics... time and time again he found himself drawn into the thick of intergalactic political intrigue.
As the ruler of his own empire, the former Sith possessed the power and all the means to try to improve the work of planetary governments, making the galaxy better, more united, stronger than it had ever been.
But now, finding himself at the center of events surrounding the Mandalorian Duchess, Revan was limited in his capabilities. This was irritating... but at the same time, it was exhilarating. It was a challenge! And the former Jedi had never run from difficulties.
The "game" plan was ready, the pieces were taking their places.
Less than a day after the "failed assassination attempt" on the Duchess, Revan was invited to the palace for an audience. This was expected, especially after a brief conversation with Qui-Gon.
The Duchess sought a meeting with her sister, and Revan could help with that. Moreover, Bo-Katan was walking beside him now with Tira Nomad. All three were in armor, and the girls were also in helmets, but this did not bother the palace guards at all. After all, a Jedi was among the palace guests.
Qui-Gon met Revan and his companions right at the speeder landing pad.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet so quickly," Jinn greeted the former Jedi.
"I need this meeting no less than the Duchess does," Revan shrugged.
"Who is with you?" the Jedi nodded towards the armored girls.
"Tira of the Nomad clan and... our informant from the Death Watch, whose name I would prefer not to reveal yet," the former Jedi introduced his companions.
Qui-Gon wanted to object and insist on revealing the name of the unknown Mandalorian woman, but decided to remain silent.
"How is Kenobi?" Revan decided to change the subject slightly.
"He's fine. He'll walk with a joint brace for a week and will be healthy," Jinn replied, leading the guests away. "The shooter?"
"Died during his own escape. Lost control and crashed his aerocar."
"Hmm, yes, the reports from law enforcement security forces also indicate that he was wearing Death Watch armor?"
"Exactly," Revan confirmed.
Qui-Gon rubbed his beard thoughtfully. The Jedi sensed something. Despite all the evidence pointing to the Death Watch, Jinn doubted their involvement. The Force indicated deception. Revan felt the same, carefully monitoring the interlocutor's mood and superficial thoughts.
"Are you trying to figure out why the Death Watch would want to assassinate the Duchess?" Revan decided to lead the Jedi's thoughts astray a bit.
"Yes," Qui-Gon nodded. "They've been practically inactive for so many years, but suddenly decided to become active."
"They probably felt they could succeed in overthrowing the legitimate government," the former Jedi suggested.
"But why now?"
"After the Naboo incident?" Revan hinted.
"Do you think the same people who organized the conflict between Naboo and the Trade Federation are involved here?" anxiety flashed in Qui-Gon's emotions.
"I don't rule out that possibility," the ancient nodded grimly.
"Sith," Jinn exhaled.
Revan nodded again.
"You also feel this vague sense of unease, but can't pinpoint the source?" the former Jedi decided to confuse his interlocutor a bit more.
"Yes," Qui-Gon agreed.
"Something is brewing around us. Darkness is gathering over Mandalore. And at the center of all this is the Duchess," Revan said thoughtfully.
"Is war coming?"
"Which I hope to avoid. But I will need help."
"Help? What kind?" Jinn clarified.
"First and foremost, we need to ensure Satine Kryze's protection. The well-being of all the people of Mandalore will depend on whether she can hold onto power."
"We are doing everything in our power to protect the Duchess," Qui-Gon assured his interlocutor.
"But it's not enough. As long as the Death Watch exists, Kryze will not be safe. The recent assassination attempt miraculously failed. Imagine what would have happened if we hadn't been there?" Revan shook his head.
"Are you suggesting we eliminate the Death Watch?" the Jedi frowned.
"Ultimately, we will hold them accountable for everything they have done, but the Duchess must act. She and the people of Mandalore."
"Otherwise, it will look like the Jedi are interfering in Mandalorian affairs again?" the Jedi guessed.
"Which, after the Great Purge, would only undermine the remaining trust in the Republic and the Order and completely turn Mandalore against the Jedi and the Senate," Revan finished.
And the former Sith had not lied a single word. Qui-Gon felt sincerity in his interlocutor's words, and the Force gave no reason to doubt Revan's arguments.
"The Duchess is a pacifist. We shouldn't expect decisive action from her," Jinn noted, pointing out a clear miscalculation.
"Convictions change," the former Sith shrugged. "You just need to provide good motivation for changing priorities."
"And do you have one?"
"Not me," Revan shook his head.
"Bo-Katan?" Qui-Gon guessed.
"Yes. I hope her sister can talk some sense into Satine. Because if a Sith is really behind the Death Watch, we don't have much time."
"Do you think they will take decisive action?"
"They tried to kill the Duchess. I think that's pretty decisive, don't you?" Revan smirked.
Jinn nodded grimly.
"I just hope we have time to prepare Mandalore before the army arrives," the former Sith said darkly.
"What army?" Qui-Gon asked in confusion.
"Most likely, mercenaries, or, in the worst case, the Republican Judicial Corps."
"The Judicial Corps?!"
"Yes, under the pretext of a peacekeeping mission."
"But only the Republic Senate can send the Corps here!"
"In which there could very well be a Sith or his supporters," Revan pointed out the obvious fact.
"Impossible! Although... the Sith have always strived for power. Their appearance on Coruscant is only a matter of time... But could we have been so blind..."
"Qui-Gon, you yourself understand perfectly well that there are Force techniques that allow you to completely hide your presence or pretend to be an ordinary person, not gifted," Revan said insinuatingly.
"But... Surely there isn't anyone among the Order members who could sense a Sith, even in disguise? We couldn't have lost our skills and relaxed so much!" Jinn wondered.
"Even in my time, not everyone could break through a quality concealment technique. Now... I don't know how good your masters' abilities are, but no one noticed the Darkness in me while I was in the Temple... Except, perhaps, the Grand Master."
"It's hard to believe. Although I understand that the Order has weakened and is very different from what it was before Ruusan," Qui-Gon said with regret.
"It's better to accept it as a given. Otherwise, the Jedi might miss a threat that will lead to their demise."
"Do you know something?"
"It's just a premonition and my conclusions. Whether to believe them or not is up to you."
Jinn pondered.
They walked the rest of the way to the throne room in silence.
They were already waiting in the hall. There was none of the solemnity that Revan had seen during his last visit to the palace. Satine was in simple, but expensive, clothing, without unnecessary status accessories. There was no retinue nearby. Only Obi-Wan, whose knee was adorned with a mechanical brace designed to reduce stress on the joint, stood beside the Duchess, holding her hands in his...
However, Revan was already doubting that their arrival was expected. Kryze and Kenobi stood face to face and quite close to each other. The former Sith was sure that if their arrival had been delayed by a couple of minutes, the scene that would have opened would have been a little more intimate. The padawan was one step away from kissing the Duchess. And it couldn't be said that Satine was against it.
Noticing their entrance, Kenobi and Kryze sharply turned towards the entrance and stepped away from each other by a pace, creating the appearance of purely business relations.
"The rumors weren't lying," Nomad said quietly, but Revan heard.
As did Qui-Gon. However, everyone preferred to pretend they hadn't noticed anything.
"Knight Van, I'm glad to see you again," the Duchess greeted Revan.
"Thank you, Duchess Satine," the former Jedi bowed in return.
"Who are your companions?" Kryze shifted her gaze to the girls behind Revan.
"Tira Nomad," the mercenary introduced herself.
"And our informant from the Death Watch," the former Sith indicated the second girl.
Bo-Katan just snorted irritably in response and only nodded slightly to the Duchess as a greeting.
"You brought one of those terrorists here?" Kenobi stepped forward, limping, his hand resting on the hilt of his lightsaber.
However, a moment later, Satine's delicate hand landed on his shoulder, and the padawan stepped back.
"Everyone deserves a second chance. And if this brave girl has decided to stray from the wrong path, she will always be welcome here," the Duchess said with a smile.
"Pfft, you still bleat like a Tartanian goat," Bo-Katan sneered haughtily, surprising Satine.
"Do we know each other? Your voice... is very similar..." the elder Kryze said, carefully examining the nameless Mandalorian, whose disguise hid her sister.
"The Death Watch plans to kill you soon, and then commit genocide against your supporters. And you, instead of preparing for confrontation, are hiding behind the Jedi and presenting yourself as weak and helpless," Bo-Katan blurted out quite rudely, approaching Satine.
"That's impossible. They don't have enough resources and supporters to carry out a coup..." the Duchess began, but Revan interrupted her.
"On the side of your enemies is the Governor of Concordia, who has been gathering strength and resources for years. And, on top of everything else, he is supported by your mysterious patron from Coruscant, who guarantees us a swift invasion by a small army to 'prevent civil war'," the former Jedi said insinuatingly.
"That can't be!" the Duchess objected. "Pre Vizsla is my friend. Concordia is a peaceful planet."
"On which there are several fortified Death Watch bases," Revan added.
"You're talking nonsense, Knight Van. I don't believe you," Satine cut off.
"And do you believe me?" Bo-Katan took a step forward and removed her helmet.
"Sister?" the Duchess stared at her younger sister in shock.
"Hello, Satine. Long time no see," Bo-Katan said coldly.
The elder Kryze seemed unsure how to react. There was joy at the reunion, fear, and confusion in her emotions...
"Wait... So you... are with the Death Watch?" the Duchess asked, lost.
"Yes, and therefore I can confirm every word this Jedi said," Bo-Katan nodded towards Revan.
"But... how could this be..." Duchess Kryze's shoulders slumped.
At that moment, one of Satine's assistants entered the hall. A secretary, of whom there were four in the Duchess's retinue.
"My lady, I..." the entrant faltered mid-sentence, seeing the sisters together.
As soon as he took a step back towards the door, Bo-Katan drew her blaster and pierced the secretary's chest with a precise shot.
The next moment, three lightsaber blades froze at the Mandalorian's neck. Jinn's green and Kenobi's blue clashed with Revan's silver blade, which had come to the defense of the younger Kryze. The girl was not going to be attacked, only warned. However, Revan decided to play it safe, to avoid incidents due to overly impulsive young and in-love padawans.
"What does all this mean!" Satine shouted, shielded from her sister by Obi-Wan.
"That was a Death Watch informant," Bo-Katan replied, putting her blaster back in its holster. "He recognized me and most likely intended to report my betrayal to Vizsla."
"Soran?" the Duchess turned an incredulous gaze to the body of the murdered man.
"The Death Watch has infiltrated everywhere, sister," the younger Kryze said calmly.
"I think we should talk in a more... hmm, secure location," Qui-Gon suggested.
"My office. It's reinforced in case of an attack on the palace. It's safe there," the Duchess replied, still trying to overcome her surprise.
"Then..." Jinn began, but was interrupted by Satine.
"I want to talk to my sister alone," the elder Kryze declared.
"I don't think that's wise," Kenobi objected. "She's from the Death Watch..."
"She's my sister!" Satine cried.
"Clan above all," Bo-Katan nodded, as if assuring everyone present that she would not harm her own sister.
"I don't think anything terrible will happen if we allow the family to reunite," Revan supported the sisters.
Jinn nodded in agreement. Kenobi had to yield.
The representatives of the Kryze clan retired to the Duchess's office, leaving the Jedi and the Mandalorian alone.
"Qui-Gon," Revan addressed the master, distracting him from contemplating his padawan, who was pacing the throne room like a caged beast.
"Yes?" Jinn responded.
"Do you have a way to contact the Temple? Preferably the Grand Master."
"Yes, but why do you need that?" the Jedi wondered.
"I need to know what's happening in the Senate right now and whether the Judicial Corps has stirred," Revan explained.
"Do you think our opponent has already started acting?"
"And has for a long time," the former Sith nodded in agreement.
"Alright, I'll try to contact Yoda."
"Thank you."
Meanwhile, Revan's ears caught a quiet conversation between Tira Nomad and Kenobi.
"Don't fidget in front of my eyes, jetii," Nomad drawled tiredly. "My head is already starting to spin."
Obi-Wan said nothing, but complied with the request, freezing opposite the door to Kryze's office.
"You're worried about her," the mercenary stated the obvious fact.
"She's my friend," the padawan replied dryly.
"Or perhaps more than a friend?" the Mandalorian asked slyly.
"I don't understand what you're talking about," Kenobi waved it off unconvincingly.
The mercenary barely suppressed a laugh.
"Calm down, jetii. You're not the first, and you won't be the last."
Obi-Wan remained silent, moving to the wall and leaning against it.
"Feelings are beyond mortal control, I was always taught," Tira said, looking at the ceiling.
"What are you talking about?" the padawan said, trying to sound detached.
Nomad turned her gaze to Kenobi. Her helmet hid her face, and the interlocutor did not see her cunning smile.
"Have you heard of Rakshata Ran?"
"No," the future Jedi shook his head.
"She was the head of the Ran clan even before the Great Purge," Nomad began her story. "And she fell in love with a Jedi."
At these words, Kenobi flinched.
"She was a very skilled warrior. Fearless and strong. But alas, she could never find a worthy companion... Until one day their paths crossed with a Jedi."
The padawan was now listening intently, catching every word.
"He was sent to arrest her. Don't ask me why, I don't know. And it's not that important who was right and who was wrong. What's important is that a fight broke out when they met. And Rakshata lost. The Jedi captured her... but she also captured him, as strange as it may sound."
"He fell in love with her?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Yes, as did she. It turned out that their destinies were very similar. Both grew up without parents under the supervision of mentors. Both went through many battles. They were lonely, but they weren't looking for a partner, as they had long lost hope for love. He because of the Order's rules, she because of a series of failures."
"What happened next?"
"He didn't complete the mission and left the Order. And she gladly accepted him into the clan. And neither of them regretted anything."
Kenobi looked surprised.
"What was that Jedi's name?" he asked with interest.
"I don't remember his name, but it's not that important. In the clan, he received a new one - Avan Ran."
"And the Mandalorians accepted him? And what about Rakshata? Did the attitude towards her from the Mandalorians change? Did her clanmates accept her decision?" Obi-Wan bombarded her with questions.
"Not everything went smoothly. At first, many were unhappy that a Mandalorian got involved with a Jedi. The Mandalorian himself visited the clan to clarify the situation. Rakshata almost clashed with him when he expressed his disagreement with accepting a Jedi, even a former one, into the clan. But it was an internal clan matter, and the final word still belonged to Rakshata."
"And what happened?"
"The Jedi challenged the Mandalorian to a duel in the battle circle," Nomad smirked. "He wanted to prove he was worthy of Rakshata."
"Did he win?"
"Of course, he lost," Tira shook her head. "Without weapons and Force techniques, against a hand-to-hand combat master, the Jedi had no chance. However, he showed his determination and readiness to defend himself, his chosen one, and their chosen path. The Mandalorian named him dar'jetii jedi buir - a former Jedi and a good father. I know it sounds strange to an outsider. But for a Mandalorian, it's high praise."
"So, he became one of you?" Kenobi said with a slight smile.
"Yes. Despite all the difficulties and obstacles, despite being enemies, Rakshata and Avan chose to be together. It was their path. Their strength of spirit is to be envied. Both went against their own and found happiness. I love this story... even though the Ran clan was destroyed during the Purge," Tira finished.
Kenobi flinched at the last words. Before meeting Satine, the padawan was confident in the holiness and infallibility of the Jedi. He believed that all their decisions and actions were justified. But after his visit to Mandalore a few years ago... when he saw what the orbital bombardment had turned the planet into... and what kind of people lived here. His faith wavered. Conversations with his teacher only raised new questions. Then the meeting with Avner, who used the Dark Side, but did good deeds and defended the Republic... The mercenary's story...
And now, the rekindled feelings for Satine. His faith in the Order's dogmas weakened with every second.
Revan felt the struggle going on inside the padawan. Undoubtedly, Qui-Gon felt it too. However, the master was in no hurry to restore the padawan's peace of mind and guide him to the true path with a kind word. Instead, he stood next to Revan and, like the former Sith, listened to the conversation between Kenobi and Nomad.
"Aren't you going to intervene?" Revan asked.
"No," Jinn shook his head. "He deserves a chance at happiness. Even if it's outside the Order."
"You won't regret losing a student?"
"If he decides that his life will be better outside the Order, then who am I to stop him? We are not masters of our students, not even their relatives. We are mentors. Our job is to guide and protect from evil, not to force them to serve empty lines of the code," Qui-Gon replied.
"You are a good mentor," Revan said with a smile.
"This time, yes. It's a pity it didn't work out with Xanatos," Jinn said with sadness in his voice.
"Is that who you were talking about earlier? The one who was your student?"
"Yes... He fell into Darkness, and I couldn't help him."
"Not everything is within our power, Qui-Gon. We cannot think for others. And Darkness... it always seems like bliss at first, hard to resist. And explaining what awaits a student is sometimes impossible. No matter how much you warn your protégé, sooner or later he will touch the Darkness, and then it will only depend on him whether he stands or falls. Xanatos could not. You just have to accept it," Revan placed a hand on Jinn's shoulder in support.
"Thank you for your words," Qui-Gon nodded, "Apparently, I just need time to accept all this. As for Obi-Wan, I will not dissuade him if he decides to leave the Order. He is trained and has already proven that he can resist temptation. And his impulsiveness will pass with age. He is ready for trials and could become a great knight. But now it's up to him to decide."
"Thank you," the Jedi thanked Revan.
"For what?" Jinn was surprised.
"For wisdom," the former Sith smiled, not taking his eyes off Tira Nomad, who nodded to him almost imperceptibly.
The mercenary had brilliantly fulfilled Revan's request. And it didn't matter whether Tira's story was true or a fabrication. The main thing was that she had directed the Padawan's thoughts in the right direction. He wouldn't have listened to Revan, so it had to be done indirectly.
Kenobi would become closer to Satine, and his convictions would influence the Duchess. Obi-Wan was used to fighting evil, not showing the passivity characteristic of pacifists. And this trait of his would help guide Kryze along the path laid out by the former Sith.
All that remained was to wait for the results of the conversation between the two sisters. Soon, great changes would occur on Mandalore.