❝𝑰'𝒎 𝒂 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏, 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒐𝒏.❞ -- 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏
❈✱❉✤❈✱❉
Astrid was beginning to think bothering with the Death Watch was a bad idea. Maybe she should've listened to Obi Wan, after all.
Astrid followed Bo out of the building-- Astrid supposed it was the Death Watch's headquarters-- and into the frigid outdoors. The snow had picked up a little, the temperature dropping with the setting sun, and Astrid spotted several Mandalorians clustered outside one particular building.
"What's happening over there?" Astrid asked as she studied the group of armored Mandalorians.
Bo began walking towards them as she answered unfeelingly, "That's where the Jedi is being held. Now, come along now. Pre Vizsla will want you to watch."
Astrid swallowed nervously as she followed at Bo's heels. She hunched her shoulders up against the blistering cold as snow pelted one side of her face in the direction of the wind. The Mandalorians caught sight of Bo, and they instantly moved aside to allow her clear access to the building's entrance.
Bo didn't glance their way as she stalked past them, and she shoved open the door and stepped inside without bothering to hold it open for Astrid. Astrid quickly hurried inside the building after her before the door could close.
Astrid found herself staring down a row of cells on either side of the long room. It appeared as if this building was only composed of the one room. There were roughly fourteen cells with seven on each end, and about half of them were occupied.
One of the prisoners looked like some sort of pirate, judging by his wrinkled, leather-like skin and the clothes he wore. Two of the prisoners were some type of species Astrid had never seen before, and the other two were both Togruta's like Ahsoka.
At the far end, Astrid caught sight of Pre Vizsla standing before one of the cells, hands clenched tightly around the metal bars composing the cell's walls. Bo marched down the row of cells towards Pre Vizsla, and Astrid quickly hurried after her.
Her heart stabbed with pain at the sight of the pitiful prisoners, knowing she couldn't help them, at least not right now. When Astrid neared Pre Vizsla, she saw Anakin leaned against the far wall of his cell, arms crossed defiantly over his chest as he stared down the Death Watch leader.
"For the last time, I was sent to talk with the Concordia government, but seeing as the Concordia governor is the Death Watch leader, I've come to the right place," Anakin was saying snappily to Pre Vizsla.
Astrid winced slightly as she beheld his bloodied face and bruised cheek. His sierra colored hair was tousled from the fight the Mandalorians must have given him when he'd been discovered as a Jedi.
Anakin's gaze moved to where Astrid stood just behind Pre Vizsla before he quickly glanced away. Pre Vizsla's hands tightened on the bars until his knuckles turned bone white. "Who sent you, Skywalker?" he demanded. "The Jedi Order doesn't send out their Jedi unless they've been contacted about a disturbance in the peace."
His voice was mocking as he said the words, 'disturbance in the peace'.
A smirk tugged at Anakin's lips as he replied without hesitation, "Duchess Satine, of course. She requested the Order's assistance because--" He floundered for words here before quickly finishing, "because she's been attacked repeatedly lately."
"And she sent you to Concordia because?" Pre Vizsla prompted with irritation.
Anakin gave Pre Vizsla a haughty look as he answered, "Because she suspects the Death Watch is behind the attacks. That was why I was looking for your terrorist group. I wanted to investigate them, myself, but it seems you recognized me."
Anakin gave Pre Vizsla a smirk as he added, "I must be more popular than I thought."
Astrid winced as Pre Vizsla hands clenched even tighter around the bars, his shoulders tensing with anger. He whirled towards Bo and snarled, "Duchess Satine knows our plans to dethrone her. Somehow."
Oh, Kriff. It seemed as if Anakin and Astrid had uncovered a secret plot against Mandalore by trying to solve another problem. Great. They were burying themselves knee deep in trouble.
Pre Vizsla flung a finger towards Anakin as he continued heatedly, "And even more, Skywalker--" He spat Anakin's last name with deep loathing "--knows I am affiliated with the Death Watch. If he is set free, then he will report to Mandalore and the Jedi Order, and then we will have all hell raining on our heads!"
Astrid shot Anakin a look, and Anakin gave her one right back as if to say, what else did you expect me to say? I said the first thing that came to my mind.
Astrid only rolled her eyes.
Suddenly, Anakin spoke up, "Look, I'll bargain with you, Pre Vizsla."
The Mandalorian whirled towards Anakin with a sneer, and Bo crossed her arms over her chest, intrigue alit in her eyes.
"What could you possibly bargain with me, Skywalker?" Pre Vizsla snarled.
Anakin casually brushed his shoulder with a hand as he said, "Well, I won't tell the Jedi Order or Duchess Satine your little plans for Mandalore... if you do one thing for me."
Astrid frowned and glanced towards Bo to see the Mandalorian was tilting her head in contemplation as she regarded the young Jedi. Pre Vizsla's eyes narrowed. "Jedi don't make such bargains," he growled.
Anakin only shrugged and replied, "I'm not the most perfect Jedi. In fact, half of the Jedi Council don't trust me." There was a hint of bitterness in his voice at this last part, and Astrid frowned.
She hadn't realized things were tense between him and the Jedi Council. If anything, she would've thought the Jedi Council would hold Anakin in high esteem, considering he was the Chosen One destined to save them all from the Sith.
The only person on the Council who seemed troubled by Anakin was Mace Windu, and if Astrid was being honest, the Jedi Master seemed to have some sort of problem with most people. But maybe she was being biased since Mace Windu was always so cold towards her. Besides, she'd witnessed his hostility towards Anakin, herself, when they went to tell Obi Wan about Maul.
Pre Vizsla considered Anakin thoughtfully with narrowed eyes. "Fine, Anakin Skywalker. What is your bargain?"
Anakin took a breath before saying, " I won't tell the Jedi Order or Duchess Satine your treasonous plans if you help me capture the Sith Lords, Darth Maul and Savage Opress. They're but one parsec away from Concordia, so it won't be much trouble for you and the Death Watch."
There was silence, and then Pre Vizsla began laughing. Astrid stared at the man with a mixture of worry and disbelief as she awaited his words. He shook his head in amusement before addressing Bo and Astrid, "Come along now. I've had enough of the Jedi for today."
Astrid noticed movement near the bottom of her vision, and she looked to see Pre Vizsla pocketing Anakin's lightsaber into the folds of his cloak. Obi Wan's words reverberated in Astrid's head; This weapon is your life. Guard it as such.
