"You alright, Matt?"
Matt Murdock shifted slightly, tilting his head toward the questioning voice.
"I'm fine, Plo," Matt said gently. "Just finding it a bit overwhelming."
"What is causing this disruption?" asked Jedi Master Plo Koon.
The two were currently walking down the halls of the Jedi Temple, heading toward the lower levels of the building.
"Still not used to being here," Matt admitted as they began descending the stairs. "All the noise, the commotion, the sounds."
"I understand. Take time to focus on filtering out everything else."
"I know, Master Plo," Matt said. "You've taught me that before. It's much harder when an entire planet is one city. You hear everything."
The Jedi found himself curious. "What do you hear?"
"Voices, vehicles... screaming and whispers."
"...What?"
"I suppose I'm the only one who notices," Matt said cryptically, and the two arrived at their destination.
The Jedi felt a strange chill at the mysterious way the lawyer had spoken those last words before they walked into the room they'd come to visit.
There was a single woman in the room—red hair, green eyes, and an extremely bored expression that immediately shifted to annoyance the moment she saw Murdock.
"Oh, wonderful. It's you again."
"Nice to see you too, Bo-Katan."
The woman spoke with irritation. "Must we be so formal with each other? I thought we were old acquaintances by now."
"That's your name. I'm simply using it."
"Well, let's not start that again, Matt Murdock," Bo-Katan shot back. "We've had this conversation a dozen times already."
"If you insist." Matt sat down across from her while Plo remained standing near the door. "Now, Ms. Kryze, where did we leave off last time?"
"With me not talking."
"Right, thank you for the reminder," Matt said. "Shall we start there again?"
She wore an amused expression.
"Planning to repeat the same mistake?"
"That would be insanity, by definition," Matt responded. "I suppose you could say I'm testing which one of us will fall into that particular brand of madness first."
"What insanity? What do you mean?"
Matt loosened his tie slightly. "Well, since you asked. Back on my home planet, there's a brilliant scientist who defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results."
"So which one of us is insane here, Murdock?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out."
"Fine then." Bo-Katan sighed.
The two began their conversation, with Matt carefully coaxing the woman into responding.
The first few attempts were blunt, concise, and to the point. Which was to be expected.
Finally...
"You see, Matt, everyone believes they're ultimately right. Those in power walk around thinking their self-righteous cause is what's best for everyone," Bo-Katan said condescendingly. "Your Republic is a prime example of this."
"I'm not part of the Republic," Matt stated flatly. "Since there's no point in denying our association with them, the Avengers are a neutral organization that often assists the Republic because we've witnessed the horrific destruction carried out by the Separatists."
"Do you honestly believe the Republic is a pure and just government?" the Death Watch member sneered.
"It's clear to me that all governments are corrupt in some way, shape, or form," Matt said. "My colleagues are quite unhappy with the use of clone soldiers and the Republic's overall conduct before and during this war."
Bo-Katan leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "You've been doing your homework, I'll give you that."
"I'm a lawyer," Matt answered matter-of-factly. "That's what I do by default. Otherwise, most of my cases would be built on wild assumptions and accusations."
Bo-Katan snorted, looking away from the man holding a datapad specially designed to accommodate his blindness.
He slid his hand across the shifting surface of the datapad before facing the imprisoned Death Watch member.
"I wouldn't be so quick to judge and criticize the Republic, Ms. Kryze," Matt continued. "As you said, I've done my homework."
"Oh?" she said mockingly. "And what have you learned about us Mandalorians?"
"The Mandalorian Wars make for illuminating reading, to say the least," Matt said, immediately noticing how the female warrior in front of him tensed. "The atrocities and literal genocide committed by your people have been preserved in history to ensure no one forgets."
"That was over four thousand years ago," Bo-Katan shot back.
"But those who maintain the historical records still remember."
"It was a different time," Bo-Katan continued. "A time when we were ruled by warrior kings and queens."
"Death Watch seems intent on returning to that," Matt said grimly. "More atrocities, more genocide, more war. Tell me, is this really what every living being in this galaxy wants? Most of the galaxy despises the current war to some degree. How do you think they'd feel about the start of another war, this time instigated by a faction the galaxy is all too familiar with?"
"It's not that simple, you know," Bo-Katan hissed.
"I never said it was simple," the lawyer said calmly. "I'm just pointing out some facts."
Matt's heightened senses detected that the woman in front of him was... uncomfortable.
"You're—"
"Would you please stop looking at me like that?" Bo-Katan snapped.
Matt blinked and tilted his head toward her.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me," she retorted. "Stop staring at me like that."
It took the blind lawyer a moment to process this. "Ms. Kryze, I'm sure you realize—"
"If you're trying to pull the 'blind card' on me, then you're a bigger fool than I thought," Bo-Katan quickly interrupted. "I know you can 'see.' Just not in the conventional way."
His mouth closed for a moment, and this time he was genuinely studying the woman in front of him.
There was a moment of tense silence between them, and Bo-Katan turned her body so she was no longer facing the lawyer.
"Does this make you uncomfortable?" he asked, breaking the silence.
She chose not to respond, remaining defiantly silent.
Matt sighed to himself, preparing to continue the conversation he'd originally intended to have with her about the Republic, the Separatists, and her position in it all.
"So you joined Death Watch," Matt began. "A Mandalorian faction that wishes to return your people to their ancient warrior ways, correct?"
Again, she didn't answer.
"A group of Mandalorians who have made it clear they're trying to remove your sister from power," Matt said in a more pointed tone. "It seems to involve more than just political disagreement."
"I didn't ask for that," Bo-Katan snapped.
"Well, considering how many assassination attempts have been made on Duchess Satine in such a short timeframe, you're clearly not opposed to the idea," Matt pointed out. "I would have thought you'd at least join other Mandalorian factions—not the ones that want your sister dead."
"I would never want that."
"Then why not?" Matt asked. "What's stopping you from going to these other people? What do they call themselves—the True Mandalorians? What's preventing you from joining them instead?"
Bo-Katan fell silent again, and the blind man noticed her body temperature rising.
"Have you ever considered wanting to join them, or does Pre Vizsla forbid such thoughts?"
"I don't know anything about them, alright?" Bo-Katan admitted.
"I see..."
So far, he hadn't detected any lies from her.
"But if there were a chance..."
"A Mandalorian doesn't break their word," Bo-Katan stressed.
Matt gave her the most neutral look he could manage. "So you stick with a group bearing such a charming name, hoping to bring death to your own family?"
Bo-Katan gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.
This man was really starting to get under her skin.
"You think you're doing right by your people, serving your culture, but is that actually what's happening here?"
"Shut up," Bo-Katan muttered.
Matt remained undeterred. "I may be blind, but I can see you're being led astray."
"Shut up," she said again, louder this time.
"Throwing your life away where it could be completely wasted. No honor, no glory, no respect."
"SHUT UP!" Bo-Katan yelled, slamming her fist on the table.
Matt simply sat there, showing no concern or reaction to her outburst.
Bo-Katan glared at the man with venomous intensity.
"You think you're so smart?" Bo-Katan scoffed. "Acting like you have all the answers."
"I can confidently say I'm quite ignorant in many areas. Several of my friends can attest to that."
Seeing that he was only managing to irritate her further, Matt cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair, adopting a more relaxed posture.
"Perhaps we're approaching this the wrong way."
He didn't need his heightened senses to register the bored look she gave him.
"Maybe we can help each other."
"How in Mandalore's name could we possibly do that?"
"Why don't you tell me about yourself?" Matt said, resting his elbows on the table. "About your life on Mandalore, or what it means to be Mandalorian. Give me your perspective, and I might be able to understand things more clearly."
The redhead across from him just looked confused.
"What... what the hell is this?"
"Pardon?"
"You, this, all these questions," Bo-Katan elaborated. "You've been coming here for weeks now, we've had these discussions, and now you want to make it personal? Have me tell you my life story? What's your angle here?"
"You think I have ulterior motives?"
She scoffed loudly and answered clearly.
"I think you should at least acknowledge that the Republic considers me a prisoner with vital information about Death Watch."
Bo-Katan crossed her arms upon hearing this.
"If it weren't for the relationship between Obi-Wan Kenobi and your sister Satine, your interrogation would have been far more severe. Instead, you're allowed to remain here in the Jedi Temple rather than in the most secure prison on Coruscant," Matt said. "Despite being Death Watch, you've made no moves against the Duchess, nor have you made any threats on her life."
Her posture relaxed slightly.
"Of course, this situation won't last forever, as your companions will eventually force the issue. After all, no one will be surprised when they inevitably make their move."
"Oh for Force's sake, what's the point of this whole 'getting to know each other' nonsense?" Bo-Katan said aloud in frustration.
"You haven't said anything yet."
"You haven't given me a chance."
"Alright, go ahead." Matt mirrored her posture, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. "Tell me something about yourself that has nothing to do with Death Watch or politics."
She opened her mouth to speak, then quickly closed it.
Silence filled the room, and Matt noticed she was now genuinely flustered.
"Well?"
"Shut up and let me think about what I want to say, got it?"
"Of course."
Bo-Katan shook her head momentarily, trying to control the urge to strangle the man across from her.
"What could I possibly—"
"I said let me think about what I want to say," Bo-Katan interrupted. "Give me a minute, damn it."
Outside the interrogation room, Plo Koon couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Perhaps things would improve between them now. Even if it was just one small step at a time.
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