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Diplomacy or deception?
The Council of Neutral Systems speaks for over 1,500 worlds
who want to stay out of the war.
But rumors have reached the Republic Senate
suggesting that the Council's new leader, Duchess Satine of Mandalore,
is secretly building her own army to fight for the Separatist cause.
Now Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi has been sent to Mandalore
to discover the truth behind these claims.
The Duchess awaits you, General Kenobi.
Far be it for me to keep the Duchess waiting.
General Kenobi.
Thank you for meeting with me, Prime Minister Almec.
I welcome you as a servant of the people.
But I am troubled by the false rumors that brought you here.
Mandalore would never turn against the Republic.
The Duchess Satine values peace more than her own life.
Oh, I'm aware of the Duchess's views.
Master Kenobi, Mandalore's violent past is behind us.
All of our warriors were exiled to our moon, Concordia.
They died out years ago.
Hmm. Are you certain?
I recently encountered a man who wore Mandalorian armor. Jango Fett.
Jango Fett was a common bounty hunter. How he acquired that armor is beyond me.
Well, Master Kenobi.
My shining Jedi Knight to the rescue once again.
After all these years, you're even more beautiful than ever.
Kind words from a man who accuses me of treachery.
I would never accuse you of personal wrongdoing, Duchess.
However, a Separatist saboteur attacked one of our Republic cruisers.
A Mandalorian saboteur.
You must be mistaken.
No Mandalorian would engage in such violence, not anymore.
Where is this prisoner now?
He took his own life rather than submit to questioning.
I know these commandos fought in many wars, often against the Jedi.
Every one of my people is as trustworthy as I am.
- I know we sound defensive, but... - Clearly, your investigation was ordered
because the Senate is eager to intervene in our affairs.
My investigation was ordered by the Jedi Council.
I stand corrected.
General Kenobi, perhaps you'd like to join me on a walk through the city.
It's so good to see you again, Obi-Wan,
despite the circumstances.
Your peaceful ways have paid off.
Mandalore has prospered since the last time I was here.
Not everyone on Mandalore believes that our commitment to peace
is a sign of progress.
There is a group that calls itself Death Watch.
I imagine these are the renegades you're looking for.
They idolize violence and the warrior ways of the past.
There are those among us, certain officials,
who are working to root out these criminals.
It has been an ongoing investigation.
How widespread is this Death Watch movement?
It's hardly a movement. It's a small group of hooligans
who choose to vandalize public places, nothing more.
We shall soon have them in custody.
We have tracked them down to our moon, Concordia.
I hope you're right, Duchess.
I do not understand why the arrival of this Jedi doesn't upset you.
You promised to support the Death Watch forces
so we could overthrow the Duchess Satine and her weak, peace-loving government.
And I intend to keep my promise.
But how? if the Republic interferes now,
Death Watch will not be able to take over the planet.
Consider, once the Senate orders peacekeeping troops to Mandalore,
the people will be surrounded by a military presence. Most distasteful.
- They will rebel. - And rally to Death Watch.
Our insurgency will grow stronger.
Yes. And Duchess Satine shall fall.
A peacekeeper belongs on the front lines of conflict.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to do his job.
The work of a peacekeeper is to make sure that conflict does not arise.
Yes, a noble description, but not a realistic one.
ls reality what makes a Jedi abandon his ideals?
Or is it simply a response to political convenience?
- Are you all right? - I'm fine.
Hooligans couldn't have arranged an attack of this scale.
Then this must be the work of an offworlder.
Are you sure of that?
The sign of the Death Watch.
This goes far beyond vandalism.
This is a political statement against your government.
And against you.
You're not safe here. I'm taking you back to the palace.
I want to interview everyone here. Nobody leaves this scene.
You there!
I only want to talk.
I don't want to hurt you.
Stay back!
What is he saying?
He was speaking in the dialect they use on Concordia, our moon.
I should like to visit this moon of yours. Perhaps I could accompany the body.
The Concordian moon is a province with its own governor.
You'll need me to escort you.
- That won't be necessary. - Actually, it will.
You won't make much progress without me there,
especially since you've just been involved with the death of a Concordian.
- I didn't kill him. - I know.
That's why I'm still talking to you.
I thought Concordia was an agricultural settlement.
Before the end of our wars, they turned it into a mining base.
The sheer number of mining facilities here nearly destroyed our forests.
They're finally growing back.
- Duchess Satine. You are most welcome. - Thank you, Governor Vizsla.
May I present Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, representing the Jedi Council.
Governor Vizsla is one of the officials I spoke of.
He has been working to find the members of the Death Watch.
I take it you've heard the rumors about Satine.
About how she's supposedly leading Mandalore
into an alliance with the Separatists.
My only instructions are to seek the truth.
This was the man who bombed the Memorial Shrine?
Yes. He was apparently part of Death Watch.
A worrisome prospect.
if you'll pardon me, General, we must attend to the body.
I need a favor from you.
Please keep Governor Vizsla occupied at dinner.
- Where are you going? - Just for a look around.
I'd like to see one of these mining facilities for myself.
You mean you want to determine if they're still operational.
I hope to determine they're not.
I want you to wear this earpiece so that we can stay in contact,
in case you run into trouble while I'm gone.
Remember that you are here under my protection.
Please try not to cause problems where none yet exist.
Think of me as searching for solutions.
I have to tell you, I'm opposed to all of this.
I'd be disappointed if you weren't.
Forgive me, Duchess.
I'm writing a condolence letter to the dead man's family
and making arrangements for them to retrieve his body.
Of course, Governor. Very proper.
General Kenobi will join us shortly. He said he needed to meditate.
It doesn't look abandoned to me.
I am here on a diplomatic mission under the protection of Duchess Satine.
We do not recognize her rule.
Someone is feeding misinformation directly to the Republic Senate,
saying that the Death Watch is taking over Mandalore.
Who stands to gain from these lies?
Death Watch, of course.
They could not engineer all this.
The problem has clearly grown much larger than we thought,
and I suspect some external force helped it along.
Hard to believe. It would have to be someone
at the highest level of influence among the Separatists.
But why target me?
You lead the Council of Neutral Systems. Thus you threaten the Separatists' goals.
Take it as a compliment.
Someone very powerful is working towards your downfall.
The commander wants us to sweep the area
and check for any other Jedi until he arrives.
This one's harmless enough without his lightsaber.
The boss will love this.
General Kenobi's meditation is taking a rather long time.
You know the Jedi, they never do anything by halves.
Duchess, please acknowledge.
- May I offer you another drink? - Yes. Certainly.
I'm in a bit of an awkward spot. I'm being held by the Death Watch.
Sorry, Duchess. We're out of ice.
Sorry to hear that.
Perhaps we should begin dinner without General Kenobi.
There's a tracking function on your comlink. Follow it due east to my location.
I don't know if I can do that at the moment.
- It's extremely urgent! - Are you not feeling well, Duchess?
Perhaps some fresh air would do me good.
Shall I escort you outside?
Take a speeder, it's rough terrain.
Oh, I'll find my way, never fear.
Yes, sir.
Start the machine. Time for the Jedi to meet with his fatal accident.
With pleasure.
This is not good.
Where exactly are you?
Listen for the loud, metallic, clanging sound.
That would be the machine about to smash me into bits.
There's some kind of disturbance at the entrance. Let's check it out.
Well, it certainly took you long enough.
You know, I haven't saved you yet!
- Yes, no need to remind me of that. - Be patient.
I happen to be a bit short on patience right now!
Now, let's see, one of these...
- Satine, turn the machine off! - I'm trying!
Satine!
There!
Look out!
For a man sworn to peace,
you take an unseemly pleasure in the injuries of others.
For a woman sworn to non-violence,
you don't seem troubled that I could have been killed back there.
But you weren't. And yet I still haven't heard any thanks.
Well, you certainly haven't changed much.
This is not the way we came in.
Look there, it's the Jedi.
We'll have to stand and fight. Or in your case, just stand.
You three, stop him.
You there!
- Satine! - I'm all right.
I'll deal with this. Get to your ships and evacuate.
Failure.
Governor?
For generations, my ancestors fought proudly as warriors against the Jedi.
Now that woman tarnishes the very name Mandalorian.
Defend her, if you will.
This lightsaber was stolen from your Jedi Temple
by my ancestors during the fall of the Old Republic.
Since then, many Jedi have died upon its blade.
Prepare yourself to join them.
Warriors, finish him!
Satine?
- Should we go after him, sir? - No, there's no time.
Don't worry, we'll catch up with the Duchess soon enough.
I suppose we're even now.
- Oh? How so? - I saved your life, you saved mine.
Yes, well, mine was the more daring of the two rescues.
But if Pre Vizsla fled,
we have no way of learning how widespread Death Watch really is.
It's obvious the Separatists are supporting the Death Watch.
I disagree. I told you I wanted to stay out of this conflict.
Given the current situation, I'm afraid that may no longer be possible.
I thought you of all people would understand my position on this matter.
I will never be a part of this war.
Reporting for escort duty, General.
Oh. Anakin, am I glad to see you.
You sound tired.
The peaceful ways of the locals wore me out a bit.
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