Long ago, before the fall of the Republic, there existed a third Order. The Jedi suppressed their emotions in order to link themselves with the Light half of the Force, while the Sith gave themselves over to rage and hate to gain power from the Dark Side. Light and Dark, with nothing in between. But there were those that sought not to suppress, nor lose themselves to their emotions, but to embrace, and control them, creating the Grey area both sides needed.

1: Shadows of the Past

Beyond the Outer Rim lay the vast expanse of Wild Space. Very few have dared to venture past their known boundaries. Unknown are the habitable planets, as are the dangers these wild systems present. But deep within their reaches lay a planet, cloaked from sight by a large planetary deflector shield, the only thing visible being a shield gate through which, if one were to look, a person would see a vast world of plains, forests, and large bodies of water.

This planet, to the people that inhabited it, was known as Kawloon. And it was the last stronghold for a people long lost to history of the Galactic Republic.

A mix of races called this planet home. Many were Human, but just as many were similar species, leading to a diverse population. On this planet, lost to the confines of history, was not a simple race of people, but a way of life.

Within her protective forests, a group of younglings practice with wooden swords in stance unfamiliar to both Jedi and Sith alike. Overseeing them is a man in red-hued armor, at his hip, the hilt of his primary weapon.

"Konohamaru, you're moving a little too slow," the man called out kindly to the boy in question, "Try to speed up you strikes, else the blade won't hit properly."

"Yes, Master Iruka!" The boy, a young Human in his earliest teens, called back, smiling sheepishly.

The now identified Iruka smiled back, shaking his head, "Honestly," he muttered goodnaturedly, scratching the back of his head, "What am I gonna do with these kids?" He said, looking over his shoulder where a set of older younglings were moving through a more advanced style.

Watching over them was a young man around sixteen, wearing the grey cloak and armor of a Knight. He stood tall, with unruly black hair, and eyes a shade darker. He stood with a smirk on his face as he watched his students.

"Sasuke," Iruka said, moving up to the younger man, "How are you handling teaching?" He asked, noting the rigid stance the man had.

Sasuke shook his head, "Honestly, it's more of a hassle then I figured it would be," he said, scoffing, before laying into a girl for nearly striking another student, "Oi, Rina, dueling practice isn't for another two hours, watch it!"

"S-Sorry, Master Sasuke!" The girl squeaked.

Sasuke sighed, rubbing his eyes, "Were we this bad when you were teaching us, Master Iruka?"

Iruka chuckled heartily at this, smiling widely, "Oh, no, my young Knight, you were much, much worse," he said, crossing his arms as he looked back on his own students, "But, as hectic as you lot made my days of teaching you, I can't help but feel gratified with how much you've all grown. You and Knight Naruto were by far the most surprising out of all the Cadets I've ever taught."

Sasuke sighed, and smirked, "We fought with each other a lot back then, didn't we?" He said, looking off toward their village, "It's a shame, though, isn't it?"

"About Naruto?" Iruka asked, frowning, "Yes, it is, he's lost a lot these last few years. I'm surprised, really, that he hasn't turned to the Dark Side."

Sasuke shook his head, "No, Naruto wouldn't do that," he said with some confidence, "After all, he pulled me back from the brink after what happened to my father, so there's no way he'd fall himself."

Iruka nodded, "True, but the pull of the Dark Side can be all the more powerful for someone like him," he sighed, "After all, he lost his - "

"Everything," Sasuke hushed him, noting that some of the younglings were listening, "He lost everything."

Iruka noticed the interest they were getting as well, and sighed. "Speaking of which, how's Sakura?" The older man asked, which made the young of the two outright smile.

"She's getting bigger with each day," he said, smiling widely, "Neither of us can wait to meet our first child."

Iruka smiled right along with him, "I have to say, I'm surprised you two married, what with all the times you told her to buzz off," he said as Sasuke frowned, "What? You know it's true."

"No...it's not that," he said, looking toward the village, "I sense something."

At this, Iruka looked at the younger man, "Is it like before, when he came?" He asked.

Sasuke shook his head, "No, nothing like that," he said, looking up at the deflector shield, "It...it just feels like something is about to change for us."

Foresight had never been in Sasuke's family, but Sasuke himself was extremely gifted with the Force. It was not heeding his words that had cost them dearly not so long ago. "Should we tell the Elders?"

Again, the young man shook his head, "No, not yet...I think this will be a good change...because Naruto is bringing it."

=Hutt Space=

Drifting through the confines of the Hutt controlled area we find a large ship heading toward Nal Hutta, the primary planet of the Hutt clans, and Galactic slave trade. The ship is of the Nagai, the pale-skinned people of Nagi. The ship is a slaver, transporting well over a thousand slaves to be sold on the planet.

Within the confines of the ships cells sits a young Torgruta female, her knees tucked up against her chest. Beside her is a Human male. Both are dressed in rags, dirtied and soiled from the bowls of the ship.

"I don't see why we could just follow the ship instead of posing as slaves," the Torgruta huffed, wrinkling her nose of the hundredth time, "It's horrible in here!"

The man looked at her from under his hood, "Just put up with it, Snips," he said, though his voice was strained from the rancid smells of sweat and bile, "We need to find out who's attacking all of these slave ships, and where they're taking all of the slaves they're carrying."

"We wouldn't need to be here if you hadn't opened your big mouth about being bored," the girl said, "But no, instead of chasing after Count Dooku, or General Grievous, we're stuck here, in the bottom of this Hutt-stinking ship."

"Alright, I admit it, it's all my fault," the man said, throwing his hands up in defeat, "Happy?"

"No."

"Shut up in there!" A Nagai guard snapped, striking the bars with his baton, "Or I'll feed ya to the Wookies!"

The Torgruta waited until he was gone before making a rude gesture behind his back. The man chuckled as she settled back into her spot, "That's not very ladylike, Ahsoka."

"They're not treating me like a lady," Ahsoka said huffily, crossing her arms over her chest, "And I swear, if we end up down on that planet, and they try to put me in one of those skimpy outfits they make Twi'leks wear, I'll - "

The ship lurched suddenly, throwing the pair around in their cell, "Force me, what was that!?" The man swore as alarms started going off. The ships crew could be heard shouting in Nagaiain. "Can you catch anything they're saying?"

Ahsoka listened for a moment, "I..I think they said we're under attack," she said, looking at the man, "But who'd be dumb enough to attack us while we're so close to the Hutt Homeworld?"

A clanging sound against the hull, and the grinding of metal made them aware of being latched onto. "I think we're about to find out."

Ahsoka listened a little more, "They said there's an intruder on our level!" The pounding of footsteps made by the Nagai as they pelted down the corridor made her step back. But just as they were passing their cell, the familiar snap-hiss of a lightsaber caught her attention, and also caused the three slavers to halt as the bright orange light of the saber lit up the hall.

"Dammit, that's a Jedi!" One of the men shout, "Shoot that bastard!"

The word Jedi had the pair's attention right away as both the man and young girl pressed against the bars of their shared cell to see the intruder. As the hail of blaster bolts left their weapons, the orange blade flashed up in wide arcs, knocking the bolts safely away from the wielder, and the other cells. Three bolts were sent right back toward their weapons, destroying them in the hands of the three Nagai.

Ahsoka pressed against the bars to see better, and found the figure very close. The orange saber cast an eerie glow over the man's features, but she could see that he was young, and wore a strange armor over a black and orange tunic.

"I'm only going to say this once," the man said in a gravely voice, holding the saber aloft in a ready stance, "Abandon this ship, and your cargo, and you live. Got it?"

All three slaver drew long serrated knives, "To hell with you, Jedi!" The one in the middle shouted and lept forward. The stranger stepped to the side, raising his left hand to keep the man going with a Force push, and pulled another toward him, knocking him out with a knee to the face as the last one charged forward, slashing at him, only to be kicked into the wall as the man stepped out of the way once more.

The one that had attacked first returned and snuck up from behind him. "Look out!" Ahsoka yelled, causing the man to whip around, and slash the man from right hip to left shoulder with the orange blade.

The Nagai fell dead at his feet.

"Dammit," the man sighed, and extinguished his lightsaber. He reached up and, and spoke into his wrist, "This is Orange Leader, guards on the containment level have been neutralized; one fatality."

"Copy that, Orange Leader, Blue Leader and Alpha have taken control of the bridge" said a woman's voice on the other end of his comm. link.

"Roger that," Naruto said, "Get down here and wipe to two survivor's memories, and have Alpha get us into hyper space double time. Hutts don't much care for stolen merchandise that they don't steal themselves."

"Understood, I'll be down in a few minutes, over and out," the woman said.

The man sighed as he lowered his wrist and turned to their cell, "Thank you for warning me," he said, his gaze locking onto Ahsoka as he stepped into the dim light of the brig. Ahsoka had been right. He was young, but he was a big man. He was as tall as her master, with wild, spiky blond hair that was rarely seen in humans nowadays, and eyes so blue that they were deeper than the blue of her friend Aayla's skin. On his face were six whisker-like markings, three per side, the only thing marring his tanned skin.

"Uh...y-you're welcome?" She said uncertainly, "A-are you a Jedi?" She asked, more for her companion's benefit than her own. This man certainly didn't fight like a Jedi.

The man chuckled before re-igniting his lightsaber and slashing through their prison cell door, "Something like that," he reached in, offering her his hand, "My name is Naruto Uzumaki."

She reached up, accepting his aid, but the moment her hand touched his, she felt a great disturbance inside of the man whose hand she now held. In this man she felt emotions that no Jedi should ever feel. There was loss, sadness, anger, loneliness, and so much more that it was almost too much for the young Padawan to take. But in taking his hand, she had also given herself away as he hoisted her from the cell. Standing at full height, she only just reached the top of his chest, forcing her to look up at him. Those amazingly blue eyes now turned hard as ice.

"You're a Jedi yourself, aren't you?" He asked, looking from her, to the man that was not getting out of the cell behind her, "And you...heh, guess I was wrong, you're the Jedi," he said, looking back at Ahsoka, "You're just a Padawan."

"And you're no Jedi," the man said, his brow furrowed, "Who, or what are you?"

Naruto looked at him, grinning, "I just told you who I am, so shouldn't you introduce yourselves?" He asked, gesturing to the pair of them, "It's only polite, ya know?"

Ahsoka, seeing that her master was at his boiling point already, intervened before either one came to blows, "I'm Ahsoka Tano, Padawan of the Jedi Order, and this is my master, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker."

"And I'm surprised that Naruto actually didn't kill you two," giggled a girlish voice from down the hall as a human woman around Ahsoka's age sauntered toward them. Like Naruto, she wore the same armor over a purple tunic, and had long platinum blonde hair. Her lighter blue eyes twinkled with mirth and mischief as she looked between her comrade and the two Jedi. "Really, Naruto, the last time you ran into a Jedi, you nearly brought the entire compound down."

Naruto crossed his arms, "Do you blame me after what he did to me?" The man asked coldly, "Now get to work on these slavers, and stuff'em in an escape pod," he said, turning on his heel, "And have Sai send a message to those overgrown slugs. I want them thinking that this is Dooku's work."

That caught Anakin's attention, "Are you working for Count Dooku?!"

Naruto gave the Jedi a look, "I would never work for that murdering bastard," the blond said, a pressure forming around him made entirely of the Force, "And if I ever see him, or that mechanized monster, Grievous, again, I'm going to kill them both!"

With that, the blond strode down the hall, his cloak flaring out behind him. The woman stamped her foot in irritation, "Oi, what about these two!" She yelled, pointed at the Jedi and Padawan, "The Elders are gonna get mad at us again!"

"So what?" Naruto's voice floated back to her, "We bring them along."

"Ugh!" The woman frowned, and set to work on the two unconscious slavers, her index and middle fingers glowing as she touched them to their foreheads. A few moments, and she was done with both of them, and stuffed them into a nearby escape pod, and launched them.

Ahsoka looked up at her master, "Is that the Force she's using to do that?" She asked in wonder as the two Nagai adopted peaceful looks upon their faces.

Anakin shook his head, "I'm not sure," he said truthfully as the woman rose up, "I've never seen anyone do that before. Is it a Jedi skill?" He asked, noticing that the woman, whoever she was, had pale blue eyes instead of the sickly yellow of the Sith.

The woman gave a small huff, "You two won't be getting anything out of me until the Elders figure out what to do with you," she said, crossing her arms and sauntering down the halls again, "And just so you know, they don't care for Jedi anymore than Naruto does."

"Dooku's no Jedi," Ahsoka said, trying to placate the woman as she walked by, "He's a Sith Lord, now."

But she was ignored as the woman spoke into her wrist, "Sai, what's the hold up?" She asked, "Why haven't we made the jump, yet?"

"Sorry, Ino, but Naruto's giving the Hutts quite an earful up hear," said quietly pleasant voice, "Honestly, I'm glad it's not me he's raging at for once, because he sounds pissed."

The woman, now known as Ino, groaned, and continued walking, "Great, just great, first we wait until we're right in the bowels of Hutt territory to jump the damn ship, and now our stupidly fearless leader is giving the whole cartel a fucking lecture!"

"You know the Comm. is still on, right?" Sai quipped, bringing the blonde's attention back to her wrist, "Really, dearest, you should see Naruto right now, he's-w-w-wait, Naruto I just got this thing fi- AH! Zzzt"

Ino huffed, "And there he goes again," she said, looking back at the Jedi, "Come on, you two," she said, snapping her fingers as if they were her pets, "We'll send a message to your precious Jedi Council before leaving the system, and let them know where to pick up the bodies."

Ahsoka looked at the woman's back as she strode away, "She...was just joking, right?" She asked, looking up at Anakin.

The young Jedi sighed and scratched his head, "Come on, Snips, we might as well get going...at least I think I could get along with their leader."

Ahsoka tailed after him, "Yeah, he seemed like the kind of guy you'd get along with, Master."

=Bridge=

"And I'm telling ya, you stinking pile of Bantha poodo, these slave are now the property of Count Dooku," Naruto roared at the hologram image of the pale Twi'lek he was linked to, "We need the labor, and while we're grateful that you've provided us with so many strong workers, we are unable to compensate you as of the moment, so please, send all bills of sale to General Grievous for further negotiations."

Sai nearly let a chuckle escape at how Naruto was handling the man, one moment raging at him like he'd been robbed by him, as they were doing, and the next being as polite as if he were at a social gathering.

The doors leading to the bridge came open, revealing Ino with the two Jedi in tow. Ino cocked her hip, and placed her hands on them in a stance that all but told him that his love was pissed beyond belief as Naruto finished with the transmission.

Naruto turned around with a satisfied look on his face until he saw the look on Ino's face. "Uh oh." The blond mumbled as the woman puffed up to give him an earful, and an earful she did give him. Ahsoka was suddenly glad that she wasn't versed in very many languages save for Basic, and a bit of Ryl, but she did not need to know the language that Ino was screeching at the man in front of her to know that she was cursing out but good.

"Wow," Anakin chuckled, "and I thought you were a spitfire, Snips."

"You can understand that babble?" The girl asked, watching as Ino wagged her finger in Naruto's face.

Anakin nodded, "It's a form of Mandalorian, and trust me, you do not want to know what she's saying." He assured her.

Sai gave them a thin smile, "I understand what she's saying, and believe me, I wish I didn't," he said, frowning, "Ino, dear, I don't believe that last suggestion's possible."

"Not without a lot of contortion," Anakin commented, bringing both blond's attention to the two Jedi. "Hello again."

Naruto groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Sai, get us out of here before the Hutt's blast us out of orbit." He said, looking at the blonde again, "Ino, get on the comm. and contact Master Kakashi. I want him to get everything ready for the refugees." He then turned his attention to the Jedi and Padawan, "As for you two, we'll allow you to contact the Jedi Order after we've moved out of Hutt Space. You'll then be brought before out Council of Elders."

"Are you going to kill us?" Ahsoka couldn't help but ask, fearful of the blonde's earlier statement about where they'd dump their bodies.

Naruto gave the girl a soft look, and smiled, "Normally, I dislike killing," he said truthfully, and shook his head, "Worst case scenario, you'll have your memories of our Homeworld's location wiped from your mind, along with anything else that may lead to a...witch hunt, I guess you could call it."

"Why?" Anakin found himself asking, "From what I've already witnessed, you don't seem to be Sith, but you're also different than any Jedi I know within the Order." He said, shaking his head, "And the skills you used on those slavers? No one's ever used the Force like that, at least no one in our archives."

Naruto looked at the man and sighed, "Sai, get us out of here," he said, "What's the hold up?"

"Setting coordinates for home," Sai said, "Jumping to hyper space in three...two...one." The ship gave a small lurch as they entered hyper space.

"Ino, do we have communications with Kakashi, yet?"

"Working on it," Ino said, looking up from the console, "This is some really crappy equipment."

Naruto nodded in acceptance, and looked back at the two Jedi, "What we are, is what the Jedi were supposed to be," he said, tucking his arms behind his back, "We were once an order as great as the Jedi, but fell over one hundred years ago. Since then, we've moved from planet to planet. Hoping beyond hope that we could find a home and rebuild ourselves. We have succeeded."

"And who is 'we'?" Ahsoka asked, becoming impatient, "We've both asked several times, but you've just skirted around the answer!"

Naruto smiled, "You're a handful, I'll bet," he said, looking at Anakin, "How did you managed to get her as a Padawan?"

"Luck, and the will of my meddling Master," Anakin sighed dramatically as Ahsoka huffed, "But she does have a point. Please, even it must make us forget, we'd like to know what kind of order you belong to?" He said, "We were sent out here to find out who was stealing slaves from the Hutts, because they were never seen or heard from again after they were taken."

"Every slave we've taken has lived," Naruto said, "We've given them the choice of returning to their Homeworlds, or staying on with us on ours. None of them chose to go back home." He said, smiling at the young Padawan again, "As for what we are...we are the Order of the Imperial Knights...the Grey Jedi."

=x=

"Grey Jedi, you say, Anakin?" Obi-Wan Kenobi said via hologram as he spoke with his former apprentice, "I haven't ever heard of such a thing."

Anakin nodded, "Neither have I," he admitted, "They claim to have gone under the radar one hundred years ago, but how can an entire Order just disappear like that?"

As he asked this, Grand Master Yoda appeared, "Easy it is to disappear, when one wants not to be found." Yoda said, smiling, "Heard of these Imperial Knights, I have. Strong with the Force they are. Very dangerous."

Ahsoka pipped up, "Yeah, their leader sounds like he's had a run-in with Dooku and Grievous," she said, crossing her arms, "He wants a crack at them for sure."

"He's not the only one," Anakin said, frowning, "But he also said a few things that just don't add up. How have they stayed hidden for as long as they have?"

"We don't yet know," Obi-wan said, "For now, just try to keep yourselves out of trouble, and don't do anything rash."

Yoda chuckled, "Asking much, you are, of this pair," he said, smiling at them, "Long ago, the Grey Jedi formed. Many Knights they had. Practiced in the Force they did. Form attachments, they did. Their own Code they had. Fought them, the Jedi Order and the Sith did. Sometimes, fought beside them we did."

"Can we trust them?" Anikin asked.

"To trust them your own decision is," Yoda said, shaking his head, "Honorable they are. Harm you they will not if this Naruto Uzumaki has said."

"They did let you contact us, as well," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully, "It's a show of faith."

"Move mountains, faith can, but hope it is that gives life." Yoda said, "Extend a hand of friendship the Jedi Order will."

Ahsoka looked a little skeptical, "You want us to broker a treaty with these people?"

"Many lives this war has cost us," Yoda said, nodding, "Fallen have many friends, both Jedi and Clones. Hidden they may be, but find them eventually, the Droid armies will."

Anakin frowned in thought, "I'll admit that from what I saw of their abilities is something, but do you really think they'd join the Republic after hiding themselves for so long?"

Yoda gave a small shrug, "Find out I believe you will."

The transmission ended. Both Padawan and Master looked at each other. "This doesn't sound like what we signed up for," Ahsoka said, "We were supposed to find out who was taking all of the slaves, and where, but I never thought it'd be other Jedi."

"And now we have to face their Elders," Anakin agreed. Things looked grim. "But at least they don't have any love loss between them and Dooku."

Ahsoka shivered when she recalled the look in Naruto's eyes. "I felt so much anger from him," the young Torgruta mumbled, looking up at her master, "I've...felt the same from you more than once...when we were on Tatooine."

Anakin understood what she meant immediately, "And I still don't wanna talk about it," he said, "But if Naruto's like me, then we might just get along better than I thought."

=Bridge=

Naruto sat in the pilot's seat as they came out of hyper space, "Home sweet home," he grumbled, "What did Kakashi have to say?"

Sai gave him a small smile, "Before or after I told him we had two Jedi on board?"

"Sai." Naruto growled in warning.

The pale teen nodded, the smile never leaving his face, "He's quite upset, which is saying something considering how lazy he can be. Also, the Elders have been informed, and there are mixed reactions." He said, turning about to face the blond, "Ultimately, Masters Sarutobi and Jiraiya have voted that we escort them to the council chambers after we have settled the freed slaves."

"We're lucky we weren't busted back down to Cadets," Ino pipped up. "Why is it that every time I come along on a run when Naruto's in charge, I get into massive trouble?"

Naruto gave the girl a genuine smile, "Because it's more fun this way?" He said, causing her to glare at him lightly, but the smile remained, "Still, I'm sorry if this puts your careers at risk. I'll talk to the old geezers for you when we get back."

Sai finally lost his smile, "You know you were skating on pretty thin ice already, don't you?" He asked, concerned, "If they don't take away your lightsaber, then you'll at least be taken off active duty."

"He's right," Ino said, leaning on her hands, "Don't get me wrong, Naruto, I do think you need to calm down, but if you take the whole blame for this, you're screwed."

Naruto sighed, thinking about the little Padawan he'd met earlier, "Heh, maybe I'll turn to the Jedi?"

Ino frowned at him, "Don't you dare," the blonde snapped, "You've already done too much for those idiots to cast you out, and that's without your memories!" She said, "Where would you go? You'd be just like a newborn, wandering about without even a trace of who you are!"

Naruto looked at her for a moment before placing his arms behind his head, "I've been thinking that it might not be so bad," he said, his mind wandering to girl of fair skin, and deep indigo hair, round with child. His child. "Forgetting everything horrible that's ever happened to me might not be such a bad idea."

"Coward," Sai put in, blunt as always, "You swore you'd hunt them down, and now you want to forget about it all? That's not the Naruto I know."

"Me, either," Ino said, shaking her head, "Look, I know you're in pain, trust me, I know," she said when he began to interrupt, "But running from pain can only lead you to the Dark Side."

Naruto sighed once more, and sat up, "You know, you're right," he said, and stood up as the approached their destination, "When I talk to the council, I think it's about time for me to knock a few heads!"

I have been wanting to do a Star Wars Crossover ever since I read The Good Left Undone. While this one won't be as good, I think, I pray that you all will enjoy it. Now, this won't follow Canon all that much, save for a few Clone Wars episodes I liked. The War against Dooku, Grievous, and ultimately, Sidious, will be much different.

Please Leave a Review if you Liked the idea!