Leilani couldn't resist stealing a few glances over her shoulder, though she remained silent; her curiosity was unintentional, more of a subconscious reaction to seeing Obi-Wan again after so long. Time had left its mark on him since their last encounter, and she couldn't decide if it had treated him kindly. His hair, once the familiar Padawan buzz, had grown longer, now styled into luscious strands of strawberry blonde slicked to the side. It suited him, adding a mature air to the 36-year-old man before her. However, what truly caught her off guard as he landed was the carefully groomed beard gracing his face. She blinked a few times to adjust to the sight, recalling how vehemently he had rejected the idea of growing a beard, citing how it aged Qui-Gon. Yet here he stood, eleven years later — perhaps, a way to reminisce his past, to contradict the man he once was; to remember Qui-Gon all so subtly, she wasn't sure. Nor did she dare to ask. His expression remained the same, seemingly calm and collected; while wearing the classical Jedi robes, in brown and its variations with the armour over his shoulder and upper body that Leilani fiercely refused to put on.

"That word...vetranth...what does it mean?" Obi Wan asked her, as they neared the moon. It was rare for him to encounter a language he couldn't decipher, and his lack of familiarity with it felt somewhat embarrassing.

Leilani kept her gaze fixed ahead, her voice carrying a reflective tone. "In literal translation, it means 'old helper,' but it's more of a designation for someone loyal, an invaluable ally," she explained. "In our context, we often used 'vetranth' to refer to military officials, including the General and the Lieutenant."

"So, the person who might have sent this message—"

"Could most likely be General Chrodber or Lieutenant Rennik; although, I'd say the former, considering Rennik's disdain for me and the fact that the only other person who used that comm frequency besides us was the General." Her words weren't just an attempt to convince him; they were also a silent hope that the man in question was indeed still alive. Ever since establishing the Confederacy, Dooku had marginalised humans, favouring droids in both military and civilian roles, stripping them of their opportunities, livelihoods, and even their lives. Over the years, Leilani had maintained sporadic contact with whomever she could, but all communications had ceased years ago, coinciding with the onset of the war.

"If you are correct, we will receive a warm welcome."

"And if not, they might try to kill us," pointed out Leilani cheerfully.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, his sarcasm slipping through his diplomatic demeanour. "Ah, yes, even better—blaster fire and all," he quipped, his tone laced with irony. Leilani chuckled softly, acknowledging the grim reality of their situation with a wry smile.

Leilani nonchalantly shrugged, then, her fingers dancing over the controls as she brought them out of hyperspace.

Obi-Wan leaned forward, his gaze piercing through the viewport, swiftly assessing their surroundings. However, there were no ships in sight, no signs of a blockade; only the barren expanse of Mantero stretched out before them.

"It's all too silent," he mused.

"I sense a trap..." said she. She felt it, as the Force whispered into her ears, as the energy floated, breezing through her bones. "What do we do?"

"Spring the trap."

Leilani smirked while placing down the ship into the nearest landing pad; as the man seemed to have grown just as reckless as she was.

She activated the ship's claws to secure it and glanced through the viewport. She had visited this place only once before, as a child, when they had laid her mother's ashes to rest. Vague memories surfaced of gripping Dooku's hand tightly during the ceremony, her gaze filled with disdain as she looked upon their father. She despised him—the man who had wed a woman barely of age, who had mistreated their family in every foreseeable way. He was sixty-six when he forced himself upon Countess Valeria, her mother, and conceived her — and seventy when his own son murdered him.

Obi-Wan noticed Leilani tremble slightly as she attempted to move; so he extended his hand and she cautiously took it. Her palm soothed over his gloves, his fingertips tightening around it, as he helped her stand up properly.

They walked down, stepping onto the landing zone while eyeing the circumstances and exchanging comm frequencies — in any case if they'd get separated or they would run into trouble, it could become useful.

The spaceport appeared bleak, almost deserted. Not a soul in sight, only the dreary expanse of durasteel pavement stretching out before them, with the fence in the background concealing the cemetery belonging to the ruling family. Leilani let go of Obi-Wan and took the lead, her legs carrying her towards the gates. This part of Mantero was covered by nothing but dirt and dust; with the mountains clicks away. She inhaled the air, filled with breathable toxins — the ones responsible for the violet sky on the planet and the clouds, hiding Serenno and its second moon.

She pushed in the small gate; stepping into the cemetery garden, and held it open, waiting for Obi-Wan to join.

"This part was considered sacred," she explained. "All of the noble families were buried within these grounds. May they be House Serenno, House Solha or else. While my mother, father and brother are buried there," she pointed towards the mausoleum. "For ruling members, that is customary."

"Let's take a look there, then," he said. They were looking for clues, something of a lead to provide the meaning of the message; or perhaps the man itself who has sent it. "After you."

They strolled through the garden, and every so often, Obi-Wan would read a name aloud; at which Leilani responded only with a sombre shake of her head. When they reached the duracrete pillars, she abruptly stopped and ripped the lock off the door with the Force, catching Obi-Wan off guard just as he was about to touch the panel.

"Well, I suppose that saves us the trouble of guessing the combination," he remarked dryly.

A hollow smile traced Leilani's lips as she heard those words. Without bothering to respond, she stepped into the building, her eyes sweeping across the surroundings. The atmosphere within the mausoleum held a peculiar mix of solemnity and ancient memories. Dust particles floated lazily in the air, catching the faint light that managed to seep through the cracks and crevices of the structure.

The dimly lit corridor led them deeper into the mausoleum, revealing ornate tombs and memorials adorned with symbols of Serennian nobility. Each more meaningful than the last; and all part of her family.

From the exterior, the names extended into the profound, chronicling the rulers of Serenno — from Count Gora and Countess Anya to Countess Valeria and —. No.

"Jenza—" she breathed, her hand hovering over the tombstone, a sense of unease settling in. It felt new, hastily erected, not in accordance with what was outlined in her will; a fabrication spiralling out of control.

They both sensed a lurking shadow in the depths, its presence palpable as it stood discreetly against the wall, waiting patiently.

"You received my message," the shadow remarked, advancing a step closer, prompting Obi-Wan to ignite his lightsaber. "My Countess."

"What are you talking about?" Obi-Wan pressed, his voice edged with caution.

Yet the man didn't respond, merely turning his gaze towards Leilani.

She sighed, raising her hand in a calming gesture, urging Obi-Wan to lower his weapon. "The custom dictates a dual leadership of Serenno. A male and a female. It has been Dooku and our sister for the past few decades...Jenza," she explained, her tone heavy with resignation, as she subtly pointed towards the tomb. "How did she...?"

"The assassin," the man said.

Ventress.

The Dathomirian woman seemed to materialise at will, just as she appeared now, akin to a supernatural force, embodying an almost devilish presence with the mere power of her thoughts.

Of course, it was a trap.

They could feel her presence looming behind them, her hood drawn over her head, her gaze fixed intensely on both of them and the General standing before her.

"And here I thought that this mission would be unpleasant," Obi-Wan commented, his hand stroking his beard as he regarded the Sith apprentice with a hint of disinterest.

"The pleasure is mine, my dear Obi-Wan...and you, The Count's so-called weakness," she mused. With a flourish, she cast her cloak back from her right shoulder, clearing her arm with which she gestured idly to the Magna guards behind her.

"I much prefer Leilani, if you don't mind."

With sabers ignited, Leilani lifted her blade in a Makashi salute; while Obi-Wan stood ready as the five droids advanced. Ventress retreated into the shadow once more, biding her time to strike when they lost focus, much like General Chrodber had done.

Leilani's technique flowed like water as she faced the advancing Magna guards. Her footwork was a dance of precision, each step calculated to maintain distance and control. With a flick of her wrist, her lilac blade darted forward, targeting the joints and weak spots of the metallic adversaries. She sidestepped their clumsy strikes with graceful ease, her movements fluid and deliberate. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan's form was a study in defence. His lightsaber spun in a blur of motion as he intercepted the droids' attacks with swift parries and counters. His footwork was grounded and steady, his stance unyielding as he absorbed the brunt of their assault.

As Ventress emerged from the shadows, her crimson blades ignited with deadly intent. Leilani pushed the two droids back and met her head-on, her saber dancing in a flurry of counter-attacks and ripostes. The air crackled with energy as the two combatants engaged in a deadly dance, each manoeuvring a calculated gambit for supremacy.

Adjusting her stance, she forced Ventress backward with a swift motion, then channelled all her energy into a powerful slash, cleaving one of the droids in two with a decisive stroke.

"It was foolish of you to come here, my sweet," said Obi-Wan. "You overestimate your abilities."

As her energy surged, Ventress sensed the urgency and lunged forward, lightsabers poised to strike lethally. Obi-Wan sprang into action from the droid's flank with flawless coordination, swapping places momentarily with Leilani as he met Ventress mid-air.

Leilani glanced up just in time to see Ventress's boot descending towards her face, sending her reeling towards the ground. With a quick reach to the Force, she regained her balance and landed gracefully, poised to spring back into action against the assassin.

The grip of Ventress's blade whistled through the air in perfect symphony to meet hers with a sweeping slash, directing both sabers towards her face; but Leilani neatly sidestepped it, threatening to cut at the woman's leg, yet she deflected it. By this, however, the Magna guard could sweep, reaching Leilani's back with the electrostaff, sending her on her knees to the ground. She saw, from the corner of her eyes, as Obi-Wan cut down another droid, with the General's help, only to receive Ventress's thrust aimed at her neck. Reacting swiftly, Leilani reached out with the Force, gripping Ventress's legs and causing her to stumble and fall, right beside her.

"Look at what you are doing," Leilani attempted. "Dooku has betrayed everything and everyone. Even his own blood. He will betray you, too," she panted. "Come with us."

"Never!"

Ventress's technique appeared rudimentary, reflecting her incomplete mastery of Makashi. Despite being trained by Dooku, her execution lacked the skill and grace characteristic of the form. Leilani, having sparred with Dooku extensively, recognized the flaws he instilled in his apprentice's technique. She countered Ventress's unrefined style with precision and adaptability, nullifying the essence of the original form. There was no strategic finesse, no fluid footwork; only strikes born from frustration and imbalance.

Yet, they were energetic enough, leaping and whirling, raining calculated blows, cutting into the surroundings, whooshing here and there like a hawk-bat — while using the assassin's emotions to their own advantage. Leilani deliberately made her angry, not with words, but by avoiding the clash, goading her into further frustration and clumsiness. As Obi-Wan dealt with the final droid, Leilani pressed the advantage, forcing Ventress on the defensive.

Obi-Wan joined her, making Ventress slip from one side to another, and occasionally flipping over a head so that she could fight both of them in turn, rather than both at the same time.

"You can't win this, Ventress," Leilani said.

Ventress jumped back, spinning herself away from the Jedi, to recover her composure — but by the time her boots touched down, Obi-Wan was there to meet her, weaving through a defensive velocity so fast that she dared not to strike; she threw a faint towards her face, then dropped and swooped in a reverse-ankle-sweep. Obi-Wan overleaped the attack easily; not only that, but Ventress nearly lost her own foot in a slash Leilani threw towards her as she caught up with them. Although, she would have stopped at the last minute rather than forcing the cut.

The assassin, fuelled by frustration, advanced with two blades raised, driving Leilani toward the wall with relentless pressure, leaving her little room for escape. As Ventress countered Obi-Wan's attempts, Leilani raised her lilac blade, meeting the crimson one in a clash of forces. With one hand, Leilani struggled to hold back the descending blade, feeling its crimson edge inch closer to her cheek with each passing moment.

Anger simmered within her, yet she channelled it into focus.

Her grip tightened around the saber's hilt as she pushed back against the overwhelming force, unaware of the astonishment in Ventress's widened eyes at her unexpected strength. With each step away from the wall, Leilani exerted her will, while Obi-Wan countered Ventress's thrusts with unwavering composure. His feet remained rooted, his blade meeting each attack with precise deflections and swift ripostes with flickering strikes and stabs.

A sudden blaster shot threw the sith apprentice off balance, the unexpected attack originating from the General, who could hardly intervene directly in the battle. Seizing the opportunity, Leilani swiftly manoeuvred to the side, catching Ventress off-guard. The assassin's right shoulder blade bore the brunt of the hit.

Sensing the opening, Obi-Wan capitalised on the distraction, leveraging the moment to disarm Ventress, forcing one of her lightsabers out of her grip.

"It's over," said Obi-Wan. "Lay down your weapon."

With one blade raised defiantly, Ventress scowled, her eyes filled with disdain. "Jedi scum," she said, before unleashing a powerful Force push that sent them staggering backward, unable to pursue her as she made her escape.

And they didn't attempt to follow this time.

Obi-Wan and Leilani extinguished their lightsabers, exchanging a quick glance and rehashing their robes before redirecting their attention to General Chrodber.

"You have to go. The longer you stay, the more dangerous it becomes," the man insisted.

Leilani shook her head firmly.

"Please, come with us. Serenno isn't safe for you anymore," she implored, her voice tinged with urgency.

"I can't—" the General began, his voice tinged with regret.

"General—" Leilani interjected, her tone pleading.

"My men are counting on me," he continued, his voice heavy with duty. "Whatever happens next, I can't leave them there."

"Chrodber—"

"But I vowed to protect Serenno and its people at all costs," the General insisted, his eyes reflecting the gravity of his oath. "And I must ask you to do the same. Save your people. Our people—"

"Aden—" Leilani's voice wavered with emotion.

"Promise me."

So, she made the promise once more, though it weighed heavily on her heart. The vow had been made the day she departed Serenno, leaving it in her brother's grasp, unable to intervene directly. Despite the mantle of rulership now resting upon her by birthright, she remained bound by the code of the Jedi, her duty clear but her hands tied by the constraints of her role.

"We have to go," Obi-Wan interjected, his focus divided as he swept the perimeter.

Before they could leave, General Chrodber halted them with a gesture. He walked over to a distant corner where he had left a bag upon his arrival. With purposeful movements, he unclasped the top and withdrew a fabric from within.

She didn't need to guess to know, to identify it; the insignia, the colour said it all.

"It belonged to Jenza, didn't it?" She posed the question, though its answer seemed evident.

The man only nodded. "It belongs to you now, Countess Leilani of Serenno."

The mention of her name, coupled with the title, stirred something deep within her, igniting a profound sense of responsibility — to her world, to her governance. It wasn't just about wielding power; it was about understanding its implications, the responsibility of shaping destinies, of governing an entire system. It wasn't about what she could acquire, but rather what she could accomplish, not for herself, but for the betterment of her people. If it wasn't for Dooku.

The man offered a slight bow, and Leilani reciprocated the gesture before following Obi-Wan out of the mausoleum, clutching her cloak tightly in hand.

She wouldn't forget the sacrifice of her General, who risked everything to deliver the news and entrust her with the last meaningful heirloom. It was more than just a cloak; it was a part of herself, a piece of her legacy left behind as she wrapped her Master's body in her own Serennian cloak. Now, she held it again, a surge of duty flooding her senses. Perhaps, until this moment, she had been in denial, silently hoping that such a tragedy would never come to pass—that Dooku's cruelty had its limits. Yet, even if he didn't commit the act himself, he ordered the murder of his own blood, their blood. And Leilani knew she could be next.

"With my sister's dead, I am the only female in the bloodline; so it falls on me to co-rule Serenno," she finished the explanation to Obi-Wan. "There is always a Count and a Countess...I shouldn't accept it, perhaps I can't, because I am a Jedi—"

"It would intervene with the Code," he said.

"But I have to do something."

"You can save them by helping to win the war."

She knew that he was right, but chose to remain silent rather than answer. It all — wasn't as black and white as it seemed.

As they journeyed back to Tython, silence enveloped the cockpit, casting a palpable weight upon them. Each passing moment seemed pregnant with the weight of their recent conversation and the events that had unfolded. Obi-Wan made several attempts to break the silence, his lips parting as if to speak, but each time his words faltered, lost in the chasm of unspoken thoughts. Leilani, on the other hand, sat quietly, her gaze fixed on the star-studded expanse beyond the viewport. Her fingers moved absently across the controls, their actions mechanical, a stark contrast to the turmoil swirling within her mind.

Upon their return, Leilani bypassed the customary debriefing with the Council and instead headed straight for the conference hall, a place often frequented by her troopers and herself. Obi-Wan trailed behind her, his footsteps echoing softly against the polished floors. He found himself uncertain of why he followed her lead, or why he readily agreed when Prophet and Blitz extended an invitation to join them at the table and deal him in. It all just happened, and they simply allowed it.