SHGS - Chapter Five: The Code of the Sith

Disclaimer: I do not own, or profit from Naruto or Star Wars and all associated media.

A/N

"I'm pleased with the viewing numbers so far though more follows and comments would be nice. Think of it as alerting other users who may like what you do to the fact that there is a good story here. Enjoy and check out my other story DAIQ"

- Darklighter

"Thoughts"

"Speech"

"Abnormal sentient thoughts"

"Abnormal sentient speech"


Fint was surprised to see the Sith Lord let himself be taken into captivity without a fight. Though the odds were grim it would have been characteristic of the type to lash out at all around him.

But the Zabrak had spoken of playing games. As the natives gathered around the fallen combatant he had smoothly disengaged himself from Fint's form.

He summoned his Lightsaber telekinetically and metal weapons flashed to hands as it spun in the air. The Zabrak uttered the harsh language of the people, his gestures supplicating, and there was a kind of stunned confusion. The Lightsaber floated - slowly- to spin in front of the white robed older man. Fint realized that this must be the being in command.

After the least perceptible of pauses the pale skinned man plucked the energy sword from the air, nonchalantly, as if he saw this kind of thing every day. The sun was almost completely gone, yet its rays still managed to glint of the warrior's distinguished oily hair.

By this time the Zabrak was speaking to the natives in their own tongue. His mouth uttered silky poison rapidly even as they set bindings on his hands.

Though they met his speech with silence they had no choice but to hear his words. As it was they did not bind his mouth and Fint marked this as ominous. After their experiences they would be thirsty for any kind of knowledge, positively burning for it.

Prudence had ensured that he had allowed the natives to man handle him. Poor Mexes didn't have much choice one way or the other.

As they secured his hands tightly down by his sides he saw several more investigating the ship. It was locked up tight, and nothing he had seen them do could grant them access without critically damaging its integrity. Still he worried.

The natives showed a distinct lack of fear, coupled with their anger this was not the best of signs.

They left the ship behind along with a few of the warriors. The white robed one seemed to be their commanding officer, but the one with a bushy beard did not exude the air of a subordinate.

He had to come to terms with his lack of information quickly, and if the ringing he still felt through the force was anything to go by, he had to do now.

Finton forced himself to assume the Jedi calm which clashed with his anxiety but was necessary for any sort of victory. As they walked he closed his eyes, he felt a gentle breeze as they all planted their feet methodically, the stirring air suited the calm after the rising action and killing superbly.

It was in the Jedi to guard even these moments dearly.

He could not expect these people to adapt to him despite all his technological accoutrements and galactic know-how. That much was obvious from the way they had all been easily subdued in the end. It was he who had to adapt to them.

The first step of which would be learning their language.

He knew what he had to do. It was what he was trying to do even as he sought comfort in all encompassing Jedi calm and meditation.

Theran Force Listening.

Nowadays the various orders routinely taught this skill to knights who would be operating outside their spheres of influence, most especially to those who would be doing so covertly.

Even so the practice did not come to Finton easily, and he was finding it hard going in the moment. He had always felt more himself when he had Lightsaber in hand. Though he would be loathe to admit it he had far more facility with that than with the more refined aspects of the Jedi arts.

At least it's a good day for a walk.


Thirteen days after his abduction Naruto woke up. Instantly he realized that he was a new being. His encounter with Deimus had not faded with his comatose state, he had relived every moment of the Dark Lord's hot coal touch, and he had thoroughly absorbed the knowledge that had been imparted to him.

He was not surprised to find himself alive, nor did he marvel at the liquid within which he was immersed.

He summoned the tank's rudimentary A.I to his mindscape with fumbling mental appendages. As he manipulated the primitive program and the Bacta began to wash away he felt an itch begin to develop at the base of his neck.

That was where the medical tank had implanted the interface that allowed him to command it and similar objects in the environment.

The knowledge transfer he had received from Lord Deimus had not included much history, and he was not entirely sure as to whether he could trust the alien's retelling of what information he had in any case, but he did know that the advent of neural interfaces such as these had led to diminished droid production over the centuries.

His body was still buoyed by the bacta. The viscous healing clutched at his skin and revitalized every cell in his body, still he was impatient for his feet to touch the tank's floor so that he could exit the contraption altogether.

Despite his close knowledge of what Deimus claimed to be, Lord of the Sith and proprietor Naruto's very life, he felt a thrill at their imminent meeting.

He did not pause to consider that the very same being who had just ripped out half of his core could very well 'heal' that gaping wound with sentiments and powerful forces design to draw him close and bind him.

Finally the bacta had receded enough for the tank to release him. Its face opened with a hiss and many beeps as the last of the gooey fluid drained out from between his toes.

He would have expected the medical bay of any vessel to be a brilliant white but it seemed that Deimus was one for sticking to a particular theme. The lights were a lurid blend of yellow and green while the walls and machinery was all a deep brownish red colour that contrasted harshly with the overhanging lights.

There were many questions Naruto asked himself as he pulled on the dark brown form-suit.

There were two portals out of the room and neither one was marked. Not so surprising as any who lived on this ship did so under the sufferance of a Sith Lord.

And what exactly is a Sith Lord?

He did not wonder about how he knew what a form-suit was. If he did that then he would have to consider every little mundane thing. Rather he tried to understand why he knew that Deimus was a Sith Lord, and that Traya was Sith, but Deimus had not seen fit to impart knowledge of what exactly a Sith was.

There were many gaps in his 'education' such as this and his mind worried away at them. This also perturbed him because it seemed as if whatever Deimus had done to him had tampered with his very maturity. He felt years older than he was and he didn't understand how it could be so.

As if she had been waiting for him to get dressed Traya came into the room through the door he guessed led towards Deimus's private chambers. The suit he was wearing was more comfortable than anything he had ever put on in his life, yet the lack of colour depressed him. As if it was even possible for him to be any more befuddled inside.

"So? What are you just standing there for? I'm rather surprised that you are still alive considering that he actually," here she shuddered, "dipped into you like that. He's only ever spoken to me and even then I feel like there is poison flooding my neurons." she stopped speaking abruptly. Naruto supposed it was because this was the part where she asked 'how are you holding up?'

"I'm alive thanks," an uncharacteristic smirk came to his lips. "I was actually hoping that Deimus and I could talk more."

"Since you made it through that examination I should probably tell you. Don't ever refer to the Dark Lord like that in my presence again. He could kill me for failing to end you since you show such blatant disrespect," Traya said.

"Well there is a lot I still don't know," Naruto gestured expansively. "You can't expect me to just up out of my city and then know how to address every galactic being that I encounter."

"Oh? But I can expect you to speak Basic so flawlessly?" she smirked as he realized that they were not conversing in his native tongue. "Adapt," she began to walk away, forcing him to follow. "Do so quickly. Knowledge is power and you should be grateful for that which you have been given, and even more grateful that I now have to chaperone you... apprentice."

"And what about Dei- what about the Dark Lord?" Naruto asked as they passed through the way from which she had initially emerged.

"You won't see him for years, and then only if you survive." Even walking behind her as he was Naruto felt her hesitation. "We have been on my home planet for three days now. Once we leave this ship master will not be staying."

"And wha-"

She rounded on him before he could finish the question. Invisible arms grasped his waist and hoisted him into the air and Traya slipped forward, pinning him uncomfortably to the bulkhead with her elbow settled in the crook formed by his chin and neck.

"No. More. Questions. Understand?"

He did his best to form a nod though the going was difficult with the uncomfortable weight of her against him.

"Good, I hate pestering. As far as you are concerned, I am your master now," she said as she let him go.

He rubbed his neck as he followed her. It chafed for a bit but she showed no concern as she walked ahead.

The fact that he was alive meant that his death would displease Deimus, and she would not want to do that. She had seen that there had been no fear in his eyes when she had pinned him, and he wondered if that unsettled her in the slightest.

As he stepped after her Naruto realized that he was on the adventure of a lifetime, and as they set foot outside the ship this was confirmed by the pall grey overcast and stirring wind that would have rustled his cloak to oblivion had he been wearing one.

"Looks like it's about to rain," Traya commented drily.

This was patently true, and obese globs of water justified her words as they began to serenely plummet from the sky.

"Welcome to Yanibar."


Two days after the partial destruction of Konoha.

Kakashi had no idea what to think. None of the Jounin in the room particularly knew what to think, or do, except for Special Jounin Ibiki in the corner. From his quiet demeanour and the gleam in his eyes Kakashi could tell he couldn't wait till the captives were inevitably handed into his tender loving care.

Hiashi-sama and Asuma had captured three of the extraterrestrials. They were currently locked deep in the dungeons of the Tower, and they were fettered with chakra draining metal and clay.

Clustered around their pitiful forms outside the cell were twenty Jounin plus Ibiki. The Hokage stood at their rough head, and he reigned over the silence. Because he held no faith in the man Kakashi had long since noted Danzo lurking in a cluster of 'his' men.

Word of what had happened was already spreading, and no doubt discussions involving all the Hidden Villages, the first in recorded memory, would soon ensue.

Konoha had gained and prospered only through the quick thinking of Asuma who had quickly organized efforts to capture the invader's vessels without destroying them, just as Hiashi had organized efforts to secure their captives.

Kakashi shook his head minutely. All of the above had happened while he had been lost in an uncharacteristic berserk rage.

He had never figured that an event could so rock his life that he wouldn't be involved at the heart of Konoha's productive response to calamity, but that he would lose himself like any number of the Chuunin and Jounin that had followed his lead in killing without a purpose.

He was thankful for the many level heads with which Konoha was blessed.

"So... Danzo. You would have me release the one that calls himself a Zabrak? Exclude him from Ibiki's affections... for the moment?" The Hokage addressed the old codger, but one got the sense that his words were pitched to the room entire.

"Only because he has such a facility with our language," Danzo said smoothly, "and only because he is the only one that has been honest with us."

Try as he might Kakashi couldn't fault Danzo on that point. The human who had wielded the same kind of energy sword as was now in Hiashi-sama's possession had suddenly gained a rudimentary knowledge of their language the night of his capture.

This had been a good time to test out the assurances of the Zabrak, who had claimed that the security features of the sets of headgear, that were the only plausible mechanisms for piloting the foreign vessels, would fry the brains of any unversed Shinobi who put them on.

The human, who called himself a 'Jedi' had by contrast been very coy when the subject of space flight came up. It had only taken the life of one brazen Genin to verify who was willing to cooperate.

"There is truth in your words," the Hokage finally said. For some reason Kakashi could not quite understand he seemed hesitant to trust the Zabrak. "It would be good to have something to show the arriving delegations apart from the three ships."

Kakashi supposed he could see the sense in that, it would do them no good to put their faith in one with such a loose tongue.

Yet they all could tell that there were some subjects the Zabrak would not address, such as how long he had been on their planet, or even who he was. This selective reticence had gained him much currency on the Shinobi side. Shinobi were used to divulging every secret except the one that truly mattered, and they unconsciously enjoyed his mind games.

"Yet I think he could still do with a little time with Ibiki," the Hokage decided as he turned to go. "you never know what our special Jounin will root out."


"You move like a girl! Hurry up, we're almost there."

Naruto could barely see Traya's shrouded form lumbering ahead as her boots sloshed the rising water with each step. They had arrived in the middle of a rainstorm, Traya had glanced to the heavens and stated that it would be a small one by the summer's standards, Naruto was only now realizing that you couldn't trust the weather judgement of a Yanibar native.

"Almost where?" he asked. Traya had given him a cloak to throw over his form-suit when the rain had started in earnest, still, he was soaked through to the bone.

"Almost at the place where I used to live," she replied.

Traya had the edge of her coat raised just below her eyes to take the brunt of the spitting rain, but that was the only concession she made to its power. She strode with a straight back, even through the murky haze created by the plummeting raindrops one could tell that much from her darkened outline.

The world around them however had made many a concession to the weather.

The vegetation was sparse, what trees such as there were had evolved to be willowy and tough - able to bend with the storming winds. It was impossible to see more than two hundred meters in the deluge, and the land's surface had some of the slick feel of limestone. Here and there naturally forming porous rock structures were visible, this was where a lot of the excess water sloughed off the land to join Yanibar's vast subterranean rivers. Despite the appearance of chaotic nature out of control Yanibar's weather system was self-correcting.

Finally, after it seemed as if they had been travelling for an age, Naruto glimpsed a ramshackle structure that would not have been out of place on his home planet. It was sheltered in the recess of a copse, they had long since entered the one of the sparse jokes that Yanibar tagged 'forest', and he would have missed it if Traya's tracks did not lead directly to its front.

She had left the door open, and when he walked in she was busy in the corner, tapping her fingers against the wooden slats that comprised the far wall. The habitation was completely bare of any furnishings. It was a dark, open, and dank space.

"So this is it?" Naruto spoke as he drew back the cowl covering his face, "It isn't much," he said doubtfully as his eyes darted around, taking in the lack of... anything.

"Shut up for a second," Traya's murmured. She was sunk deep in concentration.

"I can't believe I can't... Ah! here!" she said in triumph as she found the slat she was looking for. It sank into the wall with her touch. There was a click and then silence, before a teeth-rattling grinding sound could be heard, it seemed to be coming from the building's very foundations.

Naruto felt the vibrations build until the floorboards under his own feet seemed to be shaking. Wisely he began to inch back. Traya had since circled around him to close the front door which he had left open. She laid a hand on his shoulder and he stilled.

They both watched as the central area began to sink into the ground. Very soon a spiraling staircase became evident. The steps were made of stone, and they showed no sign of recent use.

"Follow me," Traya said.

Just looking at her he began to realize that for all her ferocity she was young as he was. Despite her best efforts to hide it, her Master's vanishing act had worn thin on her. Her eyes had been wild since it became just the two of them, and she gave many unnecessary commands.

Hours later they had both eaten. Traya had assured him that his meals would not come so easily in the future, though she had said that she would teach him to hunt for what he needed.

Now they were seated on the floor with folded legs across from each other. Traya had set black candles to illuminate the room in an order that held to no rhyme or reason, the cylinders were planted firmly in floor boards for their wax to drip.

Naruto guessed that Traya's real home extended beyond the copse in which her hut stood quite a distance, though he could not be sure.

Although nowhere near as bare as the hut the layout and decoration was still frighteningly utilitarian.

Traya had wordlessly set a steaming mug betwixt them when she had seated herself. Afterwards she had closed her eyes in meditation, blanking him out completely.

He had soon tired of fidgeting, and his legs ached. Initially the cloying scent of the black candles caused revulsion to rise up within him, eventually however he grew used to the smell. He nose detected sage and acidic citrus in odour. He had closed his eyes without realization, and was truly shocked out of his reverie when Traya began to intone.

"Nwûl tash.

Dzwol shâsotkun.

Shâsotjontû châtsatul nu tyûk.

Tyûkjontû châtsatul nu midwan.

Midwanjontû châtsatul nu asha.

Ashajontû kotswinot itsu nuyak.

Wonoksh Qyâsik nun."

The power of the sibilant language stretched over him. His mind grasped for understanding where there was none to be found.

"Drink," her voice, normally coloured by passion, had lost all emotion. Naruto found himself obeying without hesitation.

He raised the glass, which now that he thought on it, was obviously meant for his consumption.

He expected the liquid to be biting, but the nectar was cool and sweet as it sloshed down his throat. He greedily drained it down, and was still revelling in its taste when his fingers went numb and the cup went clattering from his fingers.

Suddenly it was hard to maintain his cross legged posture. He felt his body slipping, and then it was gone. The situation evolved at a rapid clip as his mind detached.

He was not in Nirvana, but he was close.

"Look to your life if you wish to understand the way of the Sith," Traya was not herself. He had a dim sense of her fine hair rising to buffet her face as power flooded the room.

This did not cause his mind any alarm as it regarded proceedings. He had no wish to answer her. Indeed her words required no answer. He looked instinctively instead to the phrases she had uttered earlier, he sought understanding.

"Nwûl tash.

Dzwol shâsotkun," Traya's voice whispered to him unbidden, and he knew.

Peace is a lie. There is only passion. In his state of total awareness, the memories came.

The boys who had only recently chased him for nothing. Beaten him for nothing. Driven by their own emotions, which to him, he now realized, were worth nothing. How could such a universe have peace?

"Shâsotjontû châtsatul nu tyûk."

Through passion, I gain strength. But there were still things he cared about, his own passions. A new vista opened up before him and he could see it clearly now. If he had possession of his body he would have clenched his fists as he came to know that he would never make the same mistake again. The passions of those boys, and the countless others who had slighted him in ways great or small, would catalyze his own rise to a position of dominance. His own assumption of strength.

"Tyûkjontû châtsatul nu midwan."

Through strength, I gain power. And when he had strength he would have power. The power even to come back to Konoha in judgement, if he so wished it, but in his state of clarity the part of Naruto that was Naruto knew that he would never do this. He was beyond them. The rage they had inspired would fuel him to galactic heights that dwarfed their petty concerns, and that would serve nicely as his revenge.

"Midwanjontû châtsatul nu asha."

Through power, I gain victory. With power came conquest. There were those who would oppose even his rise, such as, he realized belatedly, his current Master.

"Ashajontû kotswinot itsu nuyak."

Through victory, my chains are broken. But the conquest would be worth it for victory was the prize. And what was victory? The absence of the chains that had bound his life. Chains to Konoha and to Terra. Even the chains that bound him to Traya and Deimus. No matter how grateful he was if they stood in his way then even they would have to go.

A small part of Naruto balked at this. Especially at the thought of facing Traya who he was grudgingly beginning to admire. Yet even that conflict would be worth it, for the ancient words of the last sentence spoke clearly to him as he touched the very same wellspring of power that enabled Traya and Deimus to perform feats unimagined.

It was so different from Chakra. It was so pure.

The Force shall free me.


Konoha, Terra

One week after first contact.

The Hokage's office.

His esteemed excellence, the Lord of the Fire Country, breaching all precedent, was seated in the Hokage's office.

He was a youngish man, newly come to power after his father had passed under a languishing disease.

He knew what he wanted and how to get it, while the extraterrestrial invasion had caused insurmountable grief, he had already manipulated the crisis into an unheard of pact that would unite the Fire and the Lightning in war. Depending on how things panned out the other nations would line up to be dominated like bowling pins.

"The Shinobi from the Cloud will be along shortly to collect the ship we have pledged them," Lord Fire said.

Sarutobi hated the acquiescence evident in his short nod.

"Very good," the Fire Lord's voice softened, "I understand it must be hard for you, with us having to cooperate with the Cloud Shinobi, but Osvaldus was very insistent on the need for mutual cooperation in this endeavour. We are one planet afterall."

One planet That was the phrase they were using the justify the sweeping changes that were enveloping the nations even as they spoke. Shinobi and the governance structure surrounding them acted quickly, and though the general populace may not know it, there was already a basic consensus on what would have to be done to safeguard the existence of the planet.

A consensus that Sarutobi illogically and vehemently opposed, following a line of reason that would make him a laughing-stock if it became public. His crystal-ball told him so.

"I understand the need for their cooperation in this matter," he said simply. "I do however question the continued involvement of this character... Osvaldus."

"Mm yes, yes these same concerns. I think Osvaldus has proved himself under Ibiki's tongues, not to mention the rudimentary skills he has taught our fledgling fliers," the Fire Lord's eyes were dismissive, and he began to stand to leave.

Sarutobi was persistent however.

"And what of the word of Fint and Mexes? The ones who name themselves Jedi and Mandalorian? They are at odds with Osvaldus, and name him Sith as if it were the gravest insult."

"We do not yet know the politics of the galaxy at large,' the Fire Lord said slowly, "it would be best if we remain shadowed and guard our own counsel, yet Osvaldus has only provided solid information so far. The others you speak of still refuse us access to the 'Battle-Yacht' which is key," there was finality in the Fire Lord's words.

Though he was young and brash he had enough gravitas and respect not to chastise Sarutobi, the senior statesman, but he had the same iron will as his father before him.

"Very well," Sarutobi said as he rose to escort him out, "Everything will be done as you say."

"Thank you Hokage-sama," the young lord's face crinkled into a smile as he embraced the older man, again breaking proper protocol. "You were always a close friend of my father. The state appreciates your wisdom during these exciting times!"

Later that night, wrapped up in the quilts that kept the cold away from his old joints while in bed, the dreams came to Sarutobi again.

He saw his home on fire. Not just Konoha, but the whole world. He watched from the heavens as great ships sent gouts of flame to boil the waters and sear the land, leaving nothing alive.

The visions came to him urgently now. He did not even require his crystal-ball, they came to him unfailingly in his sleep.

He faced them with trepidation yet still joyfully. In the world of his dreams he already knew what he must do, though he had not yet found the opportunity in the world of the waking.

He saw their faces, those who could save his world.

Kakashi and the alien Mexes.

The children, brightest sparks of all, Sasuke, Sakura, and Hinata.

If the prior visions heralding destruction had unmanned him, the faces of those whom he must rescue from what Terra was becoming steeled him.

With a smile on his face Sarutobi-sama, third Hokage of Konoha, slipped into a dreamless sleep.


A/N

"Laterz,"

- Darklighter