TRTSS1: The Warrior of the Stars! – DS Wynne
Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, SW and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special note: Although this story is primarily a "flashback", it begins from the perspective of Ranma Saotome and Usagi Tsukino circa 2009 (one week before the start of the First Robotech War). Furthermore, although the Star Wars movies will be touched upon, the primary source material will be based on the animated movie "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and the video game "Star Wars: Force Unleashed".
Part 1
"Ranma!" calls out Kasumi, as peaked her head outside the door to the kitchen. "Ranma'?"
"I'm up here," calls a voice from above.
"Well, dinner is almost ready."
"I'll be down in a minute," came the reply.
"Okay…"
Kasumi had invited Ranma and Akane over for dinner, so that they can all discuss the preparations for Kasumi's marriage to Doctor Tofu Ono. In short order, Kasumi will soon have her nursing degree, and will be helping her fiancé grow his medical practice. With that in mind, Akane asked Usagi if her daughter Rini could watch her son Kenma. Once Rini agreed to baby-sit her stepbrother, Ranma and Akane could have dinner with Kasumi and Tofu. Ranma offered to take everyone out for dinner, but Akane insisted on staying home…so that she can 'help' cook dinner. Ugh.
With a sigh, Kasumi was about to close the door behind her, when a realization grasped her.
After all this time, she has never once visited Ranma while he is on the roof…
"Akane, I'm going to get Ranma," Kasumi says, as she takes off her apron off.
Akane looked inside the kitchen.
"What did that jerk do now?" Akane asked.
"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to get Ranma, that's all. Just keep an eye on dinner. I should be gone for long…"
And with that, Kasumi leaves the house for the roof.
"Hmmm…"
Just then, Tofu walks into the kitchen.
"Kasumi?" Tofu asked.
Akane looked at her future brother-in-law. She still couldn't believe that Tofu had managed to summon the courage to finally asked Kasumi to marry her…
"Where did Kasumi go?" Tofu asked.
"She went to go get Ranma."
"Oh. Wait, you don't think she's been…with him?"
Akane frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"With…well, Ranma's reputation and all…"
"Tofu, Ranma may be a womanizing—and somewhat adulterating—jerk, but he's not the type to 'steal' another man's girlfriend or wife. Besides, this is Kasumi we're talking about."
"Oh, yes, that's a relief…"
However, in the back of Akane's mind, she knows, from her experience as "The Mistress", Ranma is destined to marry her older sister in the distant future.
"So, you want to help me set the dinner table?" Akane asked…
Meanwhile, Kasumi climbs up the roof, using the house ladder. As she got to the edge of the roof proper, she sees an amazing sight.
There, floating in front of Ranma, were two ghostly spirits. One of the spirits appeared to be a princess-figure with dark brown hair (and wore white robes), while the other spirit appeared to be a tiny man with green skin and long pointy ears (and wore brown and tan robes). Cautiously, Kasumi lowers her head a bit, in order to listen to the conversation…
"Mom, you really are something," says the female spirit. "It's a good thing you weren't like this when you met Padme."
Ranma sighs.
"HOW many times do I have to tell you, Leia?" Ranma replied. "I'm NOT your mother…Padme is."
"You gave birth to me, and practically raised me."
"I give up…"
The small man chuckled.
"Oh, laugh it up, Master Yoda."
"Apologize, I do, my former Padawan," the small man replied. "Humorous as always, you are."
"Ranma, we have to go back now, but it's nice seeing again."
"Same here, guys. I just wished that…the Great Tragedy could have been averted."
"Nothing you could have done, there was," the small man says. "Through you and the others, the Jedi lives on."
"And maybe…the Sith as well," Ranma says quietly.
"Ranma, we're not worried about Usagi being…Sith half the time," Leia says.
"You're not?"
"No. This is Usagi we're talking about, and you are her counter-balance."
"Balance between light and dark, there is," Yoda says. 'Agent of hope and love, Usagi is."
"I other words, she lacks the ruthlessness to be evil, and I'm there for her to make sure she doesn't fall."
"Correct, you are."
"Well, you take care of yourself…MOM," Leia says with a smile and a wink.
"You, too…Leia," Ranma says. "And YOU take care of yourself, Master Yoda."
"As you, my Padawan…"
And with that, the two spirits fade from view.
Ranma sighs, as he looks up towards the night sky. He was looking in the direction of a dead section of the Universe, where the Jedi Knights once called home…
"Ranma?" calls a voice.
Ranma glances towards the side.
"Hey, Kasumi," Ranma says. "Sorry for not coming down right away-"
"Oh, it's fine," Kasumi says, as she climbs to the roof of her home. "So…who are they?"
"Old friends I knew a long time ago…in a galaxy far, far away," Ranma says.
Kasumi giggles.
"What?"
"You said that famous line from that American science-fiction film…'Star Wars'."
"I didn't know you were familiar with the franchise."
"Oh, yes," Kasumi says. "I…I love that genre, particularly 'Star Wars'."
Kasumi pauses for a moment.
"Come to think of it, those…spirits you were talking to reminded me of two of the characters from that film series."
Ranma looked at his friend, sister-in-law and future wife for a moment…
"Kasumi?"
"Yes?"
"The reason why they seem familiar to you is because they ARE those characters."
Kasumi blinked her eyes.
"Kasumi?"
"You mean…'Star Wars'…IS REAL?"
"As real as you and me, as loosely interpreted by George Lucas…"
Ranma explains that the most of the series were based his, Usagi's and mutual friend Ami Mizuno's experience in the Lucas Galaxy. In fact, they were all Jedi Knights…
"Wow," Kasumi says, as she looked up at the stars. "There…there is a place where Jedi Knights live…"
Ranma sighs.
"Not any more, I'm afraid," Ranma says sadly.
"What…do you mean, Ranma?" Kasumi asked.
"Everything that was 'Star Wars' dwells in a part of the Universe known as 'Sector 3600'. It is one of 3600 sectors that divide the Universe, but it is the ONLY sector where all life had been…destroyed."
"Oh, my," Kasumi says. "Have you've…gone back there?"
"Rarely, since that area of space is off-limits to EVERYBODY, due to the fact that what was left can harm people."
Ranma looks into the night sky.
"For all intents and purposes, there are only three Jedis—and one Sith, if you want to take in account that Usagi is also a Sith Lord—throughout the Universe."
Silence.
"When Usagi and I learned of what happened, we made sure that the lives of people we knew would live on. So Usagi thought to 'inspire' a young filmmaker from the University of Southern California's film school, for 1 percent of future earnings of any media-inspired properties related to our story. Personally, I wanted to just tell our story, but Usagi wanted to develop a revenue stream for the Rantsu Foundation."
"I see…"
"But, other than some loose—and I mean loose—interpretation of our adventures, what you saw in the movies happened…more or less."
"Um, you are a Jedi Master, correct?"
"Yes…"
"Can I see your lightsaber, Ranma?"
"Um, okay," says Ranma, as he pulls out a metallic, cylindrical object.
"It's beautiful, Ranma," Kasumi says. She could see the nicks and scratches based upon years of use.
"Ranma, can you…activate it for me?"
"Sure, but stand back…"
SNAP! Hzzzzz…
Kasumi was amazed to see the glow of the yellow-colored energy blade.
"Oh, my…"
Hzzzz-SNAP!
"Well, that's it," Ranma says, as he flips his lightsaber in the air before ticking it back into pocket space.
"Oh," Kasumi says with disappointment.
"Well, we better get downstairs to eat-"
"Ranma, can…can you teach me to be a Jedi Knight?"
Ranma raises an eyebrow.
"I mean, I always imagined myself to be one growing up, which is why I accepted being 'Sailor Hestia'."
"Huh, I wondered why that was the case, since you weren't the…warrior type," Ranma replied, recalling the times when he, as a "magical cat guardian", helped Kasumi realized her potential as a sailor-suited warrior.
"I…imagined myself protecting the innocents, as a part of a legacy of heroes."
Kasumi lowers her head.
"Please…make into a Jedi Knight."
Ranma sighed.
"If I do take you on as my 'padawan learner', the training is not going to be easy. And even if I can, I might be too busy to do so."
"Oh…"
"But, I'll give you a taste of a Jedi's life…"
Ranma reaches deep into pocket space, and pulls out…a crystal-like cube.
"This, Kasumi, is a 'Jedi Holicron'," Ranma says. "It contains all my teachings and experiences, my master's teachings and experiences…and HIS master's teachings and experiences before HIM. In all, this holicron contains thousands of years of teachings and experiences that have accumulated through the line of Jedi knights that I belong to. Certainly, my holicron does not contain ALL the knowledge and experiences of the Jedi."
Ranma presents the holicron to Kasumi.
"I would like to lend this holicron to you, so you can properly decide if you want to be a Jedi."
"Oh, okay," says Kasumi, as she accepts the object. "Thank you, Ranma-"
"Hey!" Akane yelled from below. "What's taking you two so long?"
"We're coming!" Kasumi replied. She then turns back towards Ranma.
"How do you use it?" Kasumi asked.
"It will activate when it is time," Ranma says with a mysterious smile.
"RANMA!" Akane yelled.
"Alright, alirght!" Ranma yelled. "Sheesh. If only I were into guys…"
Kasumi giggles.
Later that night…
Kasumi yawned as she got into bed. She and her sister Nabiki was basically alone, since Natsume and Karumi were will be with their parents for the weekend…
"Knock-knock," Nabiki says, as she sticks her head into her older sister's room.
Kasumi turns to face her younger sister.
"Oh, hello Nabiki," Kasumi says. "Is there anything the matter?"
"Naw, I was turning in for the night," Nabiki says.
"Well, I am glad that you can stay with me while Tatewaki is on a business trip."
"Actually, I'm thankful that you have accepted me, considering my…condition," Nabiki says, as she holds her bulging belly. As the Norse goddess Lokidis, she was already with child, but not as Nabiki. So, after marrying Tatewaki, Nabiki conceived a mortal form for the child of her goddess persona. Thus, in a bizarre way, Nabiki's child will have two fathers: Prince Ran (Ranma's Norse god form) and Tatewaki…
"You are always welcome here…it IS you own home."
Nabiki smiles.
"I like that. Well…good night."
And with that Nabiki goes to her room, after closing the door behind her.
CLICK!
Kasumi sighed, as she falls back on her bed, and rolls underneath her covers. She turns to turn her lamp's light off, but sees the Jedi Holicron sitting next to it on her bed stand.
"Hmmm," Kasumi says, as she picks up the device. She fingers it while admiring its beauty.
With a sigh, the eldest Tendo daughter set the device back down, turns off the light, and goes to sleep. About an hour later, the Jedi Holicron begins to glow softly…
Five…
Four…
Three…
Two…
Once…
CLICK!
In Kasumi Tendo's mind's eye, she sees the expanse of deep space. She found herself falling towards a reddish-brown planet that had a ring of asteroid around it. For some reason, she wasn't bothered by it…
'I must be dreaming,' thought Kasumi, as the words began to scroll pass her.
And then-
WHOOOM!
Kasumi found herself on some plain of some kind. The scenery reminded her of those stone structures from America she read about.
The Tendo girl looks around before she heard a whining sound…and it appeared to be getting louder.
"GET DOWN!" says a familiar voice.
BOOM!
Kasumi looked up to see that Ranma, who was dressed as a Jedi, was about to tackle her to the ground.
"Ranma?"
Ranma looks up at Kasumi.
"Yeah -?"
Just then, an armored man climbs down from a dune.
"Sir, Master Anakin and Master Kenobi have ventured ahead to confront Separatist leader," the ARC Trooper says.
"Where is Mistress Usagi?"
As if on cue, a transport craft appears, as it began to hover just above the three.
"Hey, what would Anakin say if he sees you lying on top of his 'girlfriend' like that?" Usagi says with a chuckle, as she held onto the railing of the troop carrier. With her several armored soldiers.
"She's NOT my girlfriend!" Ranma complained.
"Yeah, right. Anyway, we better get going if we're to stop Count Dooku."
Ranma stands up. He then turns to Kasumi.
"Er, sorry about that," Ranma says.
"It's okay, Ranma," Kasumi smiles.
"Senator, your gun," the trooper says, as he hands a blaster to Kasumi. "You must have dropped it when you fell."
Kasumi looks at the weapon…
"You take it," Kasumi says, as she hands the gun back to the soldier.
"As you wish," the trooper says.
Ranma looks at Kasumi.
"Padme, are you okay?" Ranma asks.
"P-Padme?"
"Ranma, what's going on?" Usagi asked.
"I think there's something wrong with Padme," Ranma says. "We need to take her to see a medical droid or something…"
Kasumi thought long and hard.
'Perhaps I am dreaming that I am Padme Amidala…that MUST be it-'
Kasumi winces, as she tried to stand. The pain felt real somehow.
"Come on, let's go!" Usagi says.
"I think Padme really injured herself," Ranma says, as he wraps his arm around Kasumi. "You think you can make it?"
"I think so…"
Ranma helps Kasumi to the transport ship, while a medic is directed by Usagi to tend to her friend.
"You know, for a Senator…you're not that bad," Usagi says with a smile. "But, please…keep it to the professionals, eh?"
"Um, yes…Usagi."
Once everyone is on board, the troop transport, the vehicle takes off. Usagi goes over to Ranma.
"We should be right behind Master Yoda's craft," Usagi says. "But I'm concerned about Padme."
"Hmmm…do you think we should turn around-?"
"No, I'll be fine," says Kasumi.
"You sure?"
"I'm positive. Besides…I would want to contribute."
"Okay then," Usagi says. She then turns her head.
"Full steam ahead," Usagi commands.
"Yes, ma'am," says the pilot, as he pushes the throttle to full.
Kasumi sighed, as she ponders her thoughts. Being a hardcore fan of 'Star Wars' may prove to be helpful in this little adventure…
And then it dawns on her.
"Anakin…"
"And speaking which, I wish he wasn't such a hot-head," Usagi says.
Thoughts circulated through her head. She always found that the fall of Anakin Skywalker was too tragic an affair. Maybe…she can change all that…
A short time later, in an annex station, Kasumi sees a fallen Anakin Skywalker lying next to a fallen…Qui-Gon Jinn? With the two were the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Yoda.
"Master Kenobi," Usagi says, as she goes over.
Obi-Wan turned to look at his Padawan.
"Usagi," Obi-Wan says. "Thank the Maker that you are here…"
"What is she going to do?" Kasumi asked Ranma.
"Most likely use a regenerative spell or something," Ranma says.
Yoda turns towards HIS padawan learner.
"Young Ranma…battle, how goes?"
"I guess we're winning," Ranma says. "Master Windu and Ami are securing the command ship of the Trade Federation."
"Good."
Kasumi looks at the handsome visage of Anakin Skywalker, as his body glows softly…
Anakin slowly opens his eyes.
"Padme," Anakin says with a smile. "You're here…"
Kasumi smiles back.
"Yes…I am."
Tbc.
Author's note: Is Kasumi reliving the life of Padme Amidala of Naboo? Or could there be something else going on? This story will run through the Clone Wars and it's aftermath for sure. After that…who knows? Let me know what you think.