Darth Xion: Oh, don't worry, he has a plan. Keep in mind, he expected to lose against the Republic when he first formed the Sith. The Sith have always been expendable to him, and they are hardly his only resource. Just the one that is most obvious. He is a spymaster, after all. They have assets like squirrels have nuts. Everywhere and out of sight. Besides, you missed the part where he said he knows how to build a Star Forge.
Disclaimer: Still own Nada.
Shinobi of the Old Republic
Prologue: Thank God For D-Ranks and Old War Buddies
One Month Later...
You know, If it weren't for D-rank missions, I would have been completely unprepared for the Navy. Because out of all the conscripts sent to the Endar Spire, I got the shit jobs. After all, I was that scumbag smuggler caught selling weapons to Mon Calamari ecoterrorist group, who only joined up to avoid prison. Never mind the fact that there is no Mon Calamari ecoterrorist group. I'm pretty sure someone "in the know" is having a chuckle about having the Dark Lord of the Sith on latrine duty.
It wasn't all bad, though. I made a friend.
I was halfway finished cleaning the current seat. A less experienced me would have busted out the shadow clones, and been done in five minutes. But I knew the importance of keeping a low profile. So I bore with it. A man, Brunette with a rather impressive beard, joined me in scrubbing. He was also wearing an awesome jacket. Orange, showing a man of good taste.
"So, what'd you do, to get this shitty job? Break dress code?" I said, nodding towards the impressive, but definitely non-regulation jacket.
He laughed. "Nah, just thought you could use a hand."
"Well, that's neighborly of you. But unnecessary."
"I disagree. I saw your records. No disciplinary action, but you pulled this duty every single time it came up. That's not right. This kind of duty should be spread out."
"Well, I am the no good Smuggler."
"Doesn't matter. Besides, if you were as 'no good' as you had claimed, you would've complained by now. And someone who was 'no good' wouldn't have been on the front lines during the previous war."
"What makes you think I was?"
"I remember you. Dxun, Operation Monkey Jump."
Oh, I remember that one, all right. I named it in tribute to Old Man Hokage, and his son Asuma. Well, that and we were in a jungle, where monkeys frequent, and we were there to stop the Mandalorians from "jumping" from Dxun to Onderon. I lost my robe at some point in the chaos, leaving me with only standard Republic armor. He must think I was just a grunt, then.
"You were an officer, i could tell that much."
Okay, maybe not.
" But you did grunt work, just like the rest of us. Personally made sure we were doing okay, while pretending to be a grunt, in order to find the real story, and not lip service."
By then, we had finished. "In fact, I recall you helping me out in a similar situation. I had just gotten this jacket from my wife, and I wore it everywhere. An officer stuck me with KP for being out of regs."
I remember him now. "Carth, right?" He wouldn't shut up about his wife and kid back then. "How's the family doing?"
His previously friendly face turned to ice.
"Killed by the Sith Bombardment of Telos two weeks ago."
Goddammit Malak!
He changed the subject before I could say anything. "So, you could say I'm just returning the favor. By the way, we haven't been formally introduced. Carth Onasi, Captain of the Endar Spire."
"Naruto Uzumaki, and you stole my shtick."
He laughed. "That I did. But I thought it was Uzumaki Naruto."
"It is, if you're where I'm from. There, It's customary to introduce yourself Surname first. Some mindless bureaucrat put it down that way before I could get the hang of introducing myself the way you're familiar with."
He nodded."I see. Well, I'd better get back to the bridge. Some Jedi showed up around the same time you did, and she's worse than my mother-in-law."
I couldn't resist. "Busty-la Chan, right? I heard about her. Sounds like a bitch."
He snorted, trying to contain his laughter. "I think it's pronounced Bastila Shan, and yes, she is. Which is why I need to go rescue my crew from her."
"I'll get started on the petition for your medal for such selfless sacrifice." I said to him as he walked out.
"I appreciate it!" He called back.
And so I made a friend. The other crewmen backed off now that I was a war buddy of the captain's , and not some deadbeat smuggler.
Of course, all good things came to an end when the Red Alert klaxons started wailing, on a routine mission to Taris. Yeah, turns out the Sith have a fleet stationed there since Republic Intelligence last checked.
I think we're gonna need a bigger boat.
