Duchess of Mandalore

## Premise

In the Valley of Peace, word reaches Duchess Satine that Death Watch is mobilizing, sparking a pre-emptive Kung Fu invasion. On the run from kung fu warriors authorities, Satine and Daniel set off to discover the group's true motives.

## Synopsis

Master Bear, aboard a Munificent-class star frigate, discusses the final plans via hologram with Death Watch leader Pre Vizsla regarding Death Watch's plan to take over the neutral, peace loving world of Mandalore. He is on Concordia at the Deathwatch hideout and his men are assembling themselves to prepare for the planetary invasion. Bear instructs Vizsla to send a Death Watch assassin to Valley of Peace to kill the Duchess Satine Kryze. A New Mandalorian scout is hiding in the hills, spying on the operation down below with a pair of electrobinoculars, and hurries back to report his findings to Almec in Sundari. He reports to have found the Death Watch army, which is preparing for battle. He claims the Death Watch will never have the strength required to conquer Mandalore without the people's support. To this, Almec states that if Mandalore is under the Republic's occupation, it will "turn the Death Watch from terrorists to liberators in the eyes of the people." The scout asks how to keep the kung fu forces offworld, to which the Prime Minister claims that their fate rests with Satine.

The Kung Fu Panda Wall Senate is in session in the Kung fu Senate Chamber. Master Shifu addresses rising concern about Death Watch, declaring it a "significant, deadly threat." Satine intervenes, saying that Mandalore is putting great effort into finding the leaders of the group, who are unable to gain control of the area, and it will be achieved without the use of violence. She stresses further violence will ensue in the event of Kung Fu  military involvement with these affairs. To back his argument for occupation, Shifu presents a hologram message from Deputy Minister Jerec; Jerec states a civil war is amidst the Mandalorians. Satine is shocked by his words, as he was a close friend of hers. Knowing something is not right with the recoding she just witnessed, she requests to see Jerec at once, only to learn he was killed in a Death Watch bombing on Kalevala that morning. Shifu states this as an even greater reason to defend Mandalore, yet Satine refutes the idea of a Kung Fu occupation, fearing it will bring the war to them. Announcing the vote will take place next session, he dismisses the senate.

In Sector GL5 of the Valley of Peace underworld, Satine, now in a red hooded cloak to conceal her identity, meets with Davu Golec, a fellow Mandalorian and her contact who obtained important information from the Kung Fu Warriors Ministry of Intelligence. He hands her a card with the full recording of Jerec's message, telling her the one shown to the Senate earlier was botched. A Death Watch assassin who had been following Golec, the same one responsible for her speeder crash, snipes him clear in the chest, killing him. The Duchess quickly pulls out her deactivator in defense, only to be mistook for a blaster by a police probes who assumes she shot Golec and mark her as a criminal. Lucky for Satine, had the probe not intervened, the assassin would have had a clear shot at her too. She flees from a pair of rhinos and the probe who are soon joined by two Coruscant Guards, this whole time she is still being pursued by an assassin. After some time, she pulls out her deactivator and fires it at the probe, causing it to crash to the ground and the other law enforcers to trip over it, taking out both droids; she uses this opportunity to melt away into the crowd. Not long after, she manages to make them lose her trail.

At the Death Watch hideout on Concordia, the assassin informs Pre Vizsla that he has killed a contact of Satine's and had witnessed a handoff between the two, but the ruler of Mandalore still lives. An angered Vizsla demands her to be found. Aboard a Munificent-class star frigate Bear informs his master that Death Watch is ready to fight off the Kung Fu forces when they arrive, and the splinter group will be viewed as saviors by the people. The Unknown Enemy expresses concern about possible interference by the Duchess Satine, but is assured by Bear that a Death Watch assassin will take care of her.

Hiding in the alleys of the Valley of Peace, Satine contacts Daniel via comlink. The two meet up, and she hands the card with the original recording to the fire Master. They depart together but are followed by the assassin. In an alleyway the assassin tosses a thermal detonator at them, but Daniel notices in time to push Satine out of the way and jump to his own safety. The determined Death Watch assassin jumps down to finish Satine, but Daniel starts to fight him. Finally, Daniel manages to use his element to toss the assassin over the edge of the walkway, but the attacker activates his jetpack in time before smashing into the ground and makes an escape.

At the Kung fu Senate Building, Satine approaches the Senate Commandos guarding the entrance to turn herself in to buy time for Daniel to walk in unnoticed. As Shifu is scanning the Great Convocation Chamber for any objections to Mandalore's occupation, Master Leopard speaks up, displaying the full recording that Satine had handed to Daniel, who is present in her repulsorpod, and in turn to the senator. Shifu quickly grimaces as he watches the recording, then returns his expression to a smile. The recording explains that Mandalorian government has been preparing for any possible confrontation with Death Watch and the reason why they cannot ask for Republic support with the situation being so fragile.

At the Death Watch base, a siren is blaring and a voice repeatedly orders all troops to stand down. Infuriated, Pre Vizsla complains to Bear that his promise of Death Watch's rise to power on Mandalore failed. He opts to invade the planet alone, only for Bear to state that he'd only be able to hold Mandalore for only a day if he proceeds without backing from either the area or the Dark Empire. He dismisses the matter, stating the Dark Empire can achieve its goals by other means. Vizsla continues to angrily stare at the Dark master through the hologram.

Back in the Shifu's rom, Shifu thanks Leopard for the new information that eliminates the current need for Mandalore's occupation. She gives all the credit to Satine, who enters at that moment. She is informed by the senator from Gongmen City that the senate held an emergency session and voted to revoke the previously agreed upon occupation of Mandalore. Shifu apologizes to her for the recent series of events and praises her for her loyalty to the Kung Fu Warriors. Leopard asks for the Shifu and Vice Chair Mas Amedda to join her in carrying out the senate's recent decision. Satine holds Daniel behind to thank him for his assistance, but expresses her remaining confusion regarding the recent events. The master lacks an answer, but assures her that, as she said to him before, "things are changing."