In a secluded alley in GL5, Satine was waiting for her contact to arrive. She hadn't spoken to him for hours because she couldn't do anything at the Intelligence Department. This forced her to use another method.

Sardin wore a cloak with the hood pulled over her head so she wouldn't be recognized.

She soon heard someone walking towards her. Satine saw her source, Davout, her informant inside the Ministry.

“I don’t have much time. They’re following me.

He led her down the alley, hoping it would throw off his pursuers.

"You put yourself in great danger, Davout. I will never forget it.

"I had to come. But it was worth it," he said, pulling a CD from his pocket and handing it to the Duchess.

"Where did you get it?"

"Buried deep in the ministry's evidence facility. It's not easy to find, believe me.

What the two didn't know was that they were being watched.

"You are right. Someone falsified the evidence. The recording that was given to the Senate was not a complete recording, but this disc is. You must show the Senate—"

Before he could say anything more, the man was shot dead.

"Davout!" she gasped loudly. "Oh, no!"

She could hear the screams of many civilians who had heard the gunfire. Reflexively, she pulled out her electronics jammer and frantically looked around to see where the gunfire was coming from. Before she could rest, a security robot appeared a few feet away from her.

"We have a shooting in sector GL-5." The droid reported before scanning Satine's face from beneath the hood. "Subject identified as Duchess Satine."

This didn’t go as planned, not overnight.

She didn't wait any longer and fled the scene because she didn't want to be caught by the people who shot her informant or by the authorities. Although the latter option would bite her sooner or later with her actions, instead of turning herself in. But with the heat of things, her mind couldn't function properly.

She needed to escape and regroup. The last thing she wanted was to be captured and persecuted for a crime she didn't commit.

Running along the sidewalk, shoving and dodging civilians left and right, Sadin must find a way to escape.

As she turned into an intersection, a barrage of shots nearly hit her head. She turned and looked up to see Davout's attacker and his killer: a Death Watch member with a sniper.

She wanted so badly to hunt down the man and question him, but she had no chance, as the security droids were chasing her. Not to mention they were joined by several Republic Clone Guards, hoping to capture her.

She turned and fired her jammer at a security robot. It crashed to the ground, causing her pursuers to follow in a domino effect. Successful, she continued forward, diving into an alley.

She looked around, hoping to find another route, and spotted a flying car.

For the briefest of moments, Sardin thought about taking the ride, but chose not to. First, someone had already boarded it and was only moments away from leaving. Second, if she took it, it would make any charges against her much more difficult. Third, she probably wouldn't get very far either.

But the moment the speeder takes off, things seem to be going her way.

From the entrance to the alley, Sardin could hear a Republic clone guard speaking. "The Duchess is escaping in a speeder, heading for Sector IG-44.

Despite the situation, Satine thanked her lucky stars.

For a brief respite, she ventured into the alley and retreated into the shadows. Once she was in a comfortable spot, she hunched over, keeping an eye out for anyone nearby.

"Obi-Wan," Satine whispered into her comlink.

Standing alone in a room in the Jedi Temple, Obi-Wan heard Sardin's call.

"Obi-Wan, are you there?

"Satine." Kenobi breathed a sigh of relief, turning back to her holographic transmission. "Where are you? Mas Almeda demands your surrender.

“I know. I need you to listen to me.” She hesitated for a moment. “I need your help, Obi-Wan. The guards are after me here, and… there’s an assassin hunting me. I’m convinced of that.”

"How can you be sure?" Kenobi asked with concern.

"I saw the man myself. In Deathwatch armor.

“I see. Where are you now?

"I... don't know. I forgot where I was going. All I know is that I'm in GL5 area.

"Stay where you are," Obi-Wan said.

“I’m not sure that’s possible,” Sardin said, looking as if she were hiding behind something. “Staying in one place would only get me caught.”

"You're right," Obi-Wan muttered. "Go to the public square if you can. Keep your communications open so I can track you."

"are you sure?

Kenobi just nodded. "Sadin, please trust me."

"...Okay. I will.

"We'll see you soon."

"Yeah...wait, us?

"You'll see. Believe me, it won't be the Republic authorities.

After hours of walking through alley after alley, Sardin was getting closer and closer to a public square. It was a big risk to be here, but what other choice did she have?

It was large, with four structures that could serve as a bar, lounge, or restaurant. In the dead of night, the place was half-populated, as Sadine moved among the many civilians of Coruscant. She peered outside cautiously, spotting the guards and security droids of the Coruscant clones.

Walking over to a bench, Satine sat down and pulled her hood up to make sure her face was not hidden from the guards and robots.

Inside the plaza, Obi-Wan Kenobi had arrived and took a moment to look around. It didn't take him long to spot her, though.

"Nice disguise," he muttered to himself with a bewildered smile.

After a moment she spotted him, her lips curling upward as he approached her and sat next to her, both with their backs to each other.

"Seeing you're okay is... well, it's a relief. Kenobi said.

It was also a relief, having him by her side again.

“You should turn yourself in. We all swore allegiance to the Republic.

"Believe me, none of us broke our oath." Sadine pulled out the disc and slid it into Obi-Wan's hands. "This will prove it. I need to get it into the right hands.

"But the Republican Guard is after you, which means..."

“Whoever tampered with Jerek’s information could be in the government itself.

“If you step foot in the Senate, they’ll take you.

“And the disc will be destroyed before anyone sees it, which is why you must bring the disc to Padmé.

Seeing some Republic Guardsmen approaching them, Sadine quickly stood up and took Obi-Wan's hand. He was forced to walk with her as they walked toward an alley.

"Where will you be while I'm in the Senate?" Kenobi asked as the two continued through the alley. "What if they find you?"

"They won't," Satine assured. "I—"

"Guards," Kenobi snapped, and clone troopers entered the alley from the direction they were going.

Satine's eyes widened, knowing that if they looked back now, it would pretty much confirm their suspicious nature.

She moved quickly, pushing Kenobi against the wall.

"Satin, wuwu——"

He fell silent. This was quite sudden and unconventional. Not with his hand over his mouth... but

Satine blocked his lips with hers and pressed her body against his while making sure to wrap her arms around his hooded head and tilt it down to cover both of their faces. She deepened the kiss when she heard the guards' footsteps getting closer.

When the clones could no longer be seen and heard, Satine left, coughing into her hands and blushing furiously. She was certainly glad she was wearing dimmer lighting and a hood that hid her more embarrassed expression.

She took a moment to compose herself, checking their surroundings again, just to get clarity.

"Looks like we're in the clear now," Satine muttered. "We need to act now, Obi-Wan."

.....

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