The ship docked at a spaceport twelve clicks from the city. Sasuke, who had received orders from his master to guide Tazuna down to the exit bay with Sakura, watched the planet Nami'Kuni through one of the circular windows that lined the hull.

Nami'Kuni was more than ninety percent water. Hundreds of islands were scattered over the endless oceans, with the larger settlements joined together by carefully placed bridges wider than the wingspan of a Starfighter. For some of the less advanced settlements, large canoes carried provisions and people over the water.

The spaceport was the most technologically advanced part of the planet, as far as Sasuke could see. Communications spires and other such devices could be made out, but the buildings they were attached to were made of reeds and wood and crudely made brick.

'Master Kakashi is here,' Sakura said over his shoulder. He turned and saw the Jonin exit the turbolift across from them. He was wiping his hands with a cloth, which seemed to be spotted with blood. 'What's that?' Sasuke said, more of a demand that a question.

'Nothing to worry about,' the master smiled through his bandanna. Sasuke felt as if the man were hiding something.

'Did you cut yourself?' Sakura asked, way to dramatically. The girl aggravated Sasuke like that.

'I'm fine Sakura, thank you,' Kakashi slipped the cloth into a pocket beneath his cloak. 'How is our client?' he looked around for Tazuna, who sat on a bench near the entrance. The cartographer was still shaken up about the attempt on his life, and shook noticeably. 'Mister Tazuna?' Kakashi asked, putting a hand on the man's shoulder.

Tazuna jumped. 'What? Y-yes?'

'Are you alright?'

The man nodded. 'Fine.' He sighed.

Kakashi nodded and looked to Sakura. 'Sakura, I'm putting you in charge of him for the rest of the journey. It's only a day or two upriver from here, but even so. I want you to take care for him. Give him whatever he needs. Alright?'

Sakura nodded a yes, turned away from them, and went to sit next to Tazuna.

'Sasuke,' Kakashi led him over to a corner, away from Sakura and Tazuna.

'What is it?' Sasuke said, not a hint of respect in his voice.

'There's another one here.'

Sasuke's brow furrowed. 'Another one of those bounty hunters?.'

'No, not like them. Much, much worse.'

This piqued his interest. Sasuke crossed his arms and said. 'Why's that?'

Kakashi looked over to where Sakura sat, twiddling her thumbs next to Tazuna. 'He's the most dangerous opponent I've ever faced.'

The turbo lift opened and Naruto came in. 'Where have you been?' Sakura snapped. Kakashi had sent them a message, that their team mate was supposed to meet them at their quarters to watch over the cartographer, but he never turned up. Nothing happened, but the dobe still ignored his orders. Sasuke thought that was un-professional.

'I got caught up at the viewing platform.' Naruto said. 'Have you seen it?...It's awesome!'

Sakura looked at him as if he'd just said something ridiculous. 'In case you haven't noticed Naruto, we've been rather busy protecting mister Tazuna! I would have thought you'd have your mind on more important things!'

Naruto's jaw hung loose. Sakura's face had gone red. Sasuke looked from to the other, thinking that the two were annoying.

'It's alright,' Kakashi said. 'Mister Tazuna is safe, that's what counts.' He turned to Naruto and raised a authoritative finger. 'But I'll suggest you follow your orders next time Naruto. Disregarding orders is not the mark of true Jedi.'

Naruto's jaw snapped shut and he went stiff. 'Sorry master.' He said. 'I'll do better.'

They disembarked onto a barge that carried them a few hundred meters to shore. Kakashi made them wear their cloaks to hide their identities. Sasuke thought it was a stupid tactic, seeing as how nobody else on the barge wore the thick brown cloaks that were universally associated with the Jedi, but he followed his orders anyway.

In the main village, Kakashi lead the group through crisscrossing streets, passing various fruit and fish vendors, who yelled at passers by, trying to coax them into buying their fly-ridden, sickly smelling food.

'Here we are,' Kakashi said as they turned into the town square, little more than a wider street filled with even fouler smelling fish and their even louder vendors. The Jonin took them up a small staircase into a building, marked overhead with a sign saying 'Kaiza's fishing tours.' It was old, the paint peeling. One of the iron hoops holding the sign to the wall had broken, the sign leaning awkwardly.

Tazuna, who had been in a state of shock since the attempt on his life, finally showed some signs of life. 'Oh, finally.' He ran ahead of the Jedi, up the staircase and into the store. Kakashi followed, then Sakura and Naruto. Sasuke came up the rear, making sure to utilize a Force technique called 'Force sense' to make sure there was no one following them. When he was satisfied, he turned up the stairs as well.

'Grandpa! A high pitched voice called as they reached the top of the staircase. A little boy, barely ten, his hair as black as Sasuke's and his smile as dumb looking as Naruto's.

'INARI!' the cartographer cried out in joy, spreading his arms and welcoming the boy with a hug. 'How is my favorite grandson?'

'Good,' the boy smiled. 'You've gotta come see the fish I caught last week. It's this big!' Inari held out his own arms, stretching as far as possible.

'Maybe later,' Tazuna laughed. 'Where's your father? I have to speak to him.'

Inari pointed a thumb over his shoulder. 'He's in the kitchen. I'll go get him.' The child turned and ran from the room, screaming for his father as he left.

'Why are we here?' Sasuke said to Kakashi. It seemed a waste of time to him.

'Inari's father Kaiza is a fisherman. He's agreed to ferry us. It'll be easier to travel without a crowd. We'll know who we can trust.'

Sasuke pondered the logic. It did make sense. They'd travel faster as well. That'd be a benefit. He stood back and turned his attention to the door.

A man came in a few moments later, led by Inari. He was tall, broad shouldered, with dark hair and a warm grin on his face. 'Kaiza,' Tazuna said, shaking the man's hand.

'It's good to see you.' Kaiza said.

'You too. This is Master Jonin Kakashi Hatake and his strike team. They're my guard for the journey.'

Kakashi shook Kaiza's hand as well.

'A pleasure.'

'All mine.'

'I apologize for putting you at such risk, but…'

Kaiza shook his head. 'Don't be. Every fisherman is affected by this Gato and his garbage. I'm happy to help out.' He turned, 'Take a seat.' He led Kakashi and Tazuna over to a small dining table. They sat and began discussing things.

Inari turned to Naruto. 'Hey, you wanna see my fish?'

'Can we eat it?'

'No.'

'Then no thanks.'

The boy looked to Sasuke, who stood with his back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. 'What about you? You wanna see my fish?'

'No.'

Sakura shook her head at her team mates. 'Don't be mean.' She said. She knelt down and looked at Inari with a smile. 'I'd like to see your fish.'

The boy eyed Sakura curiously for a moment. 'You like fish?'

'Uh, yeah. What's wrong?'

Inari laughed. 'You're weird. A girl who likes fishing? That's silly!'

Sakura looked taken aback. 'Why am I weird? A girl can like fishing too.'

'Well, I've never met one.' Inari turned and left the room. 'It's alright. I'll take it down to Neika's later. He'll be jealous. His dad isn't half as good at fishing as mine is.'

Sakura stood there for a few long moments, confused by what had just happened. Naruto burst out laughing. She shot him a venomous stare, and he immediately stopped. Sasuke just shook his head and sighed.

'I'm going to check outside.'

He descended the stairs and walked out into the mid-day sun. The sudden change in light made his eyes hurt, and he had to blink several times until they adjusted. The fish smell that permeated the market place seemed to smell even worse now, perhaps because he'd been inside and away from it long enough to forget it.

Looking up and down the street, Sasuke's eyes fell upon a small collective on people gathered a few hundred yards down the road, where the streets met the river's edge. It piqued his curiosity. He started towards the group, not bothering to go back for his teammates. They'd only bicker and distract him.

'What's going on?' He asked a hunched woman in a straw hat at the back of the group. She turned to look at him, milky eyes blinking awkwardly in an attempt to make the Jedi out.

'Someone's gone out to the dam.'

'Why's that so exciting?'

'Only one who goes out to the dam is Hamada, but that's him there.' The old woman pointed to a leather faced man who stood at the very edge of the street, hand cupped over his brow to block out the sun as he watched the dam in the distance.

'You.' Sasuke said, walking through the onlookers to Hamada. 'What's going on?'

Hamada turned to Sasuke. The right side of the man's face was marked by a large blue-black bruise. He looked the apprentice up and down for a moment. 'You a Jedi?' he asked with a thick accent. Sasuke nodded.

'What's going on?' he asked again, firmer this time. He had no time for squabbling.

'I was gonna go out to the dam this morning,' Hamada began. 'One of the pylons on the west side has been cracking over the last few weeks.' The man pointed to the west side of the dam. Sasuke had no idea what the man was pointing at. The dam was more than a mile out, and little more than a black streak between them and the gigantic lake beyond. 'I was gonna patch it up.'

'Is this relevant?'

Hamada eyed him. 'No. I guess not.' The man sighed. 'Anyways, a fellow comes into my shop. I sell hardwares. Tools and wood and the like.' Sasuke ground his teeth. 'A fellow comes in, short while after the frigate landed, in fact. Says he wants to go see the dam, wonders if I do tours. I don't.' he added to Sasuke, who was starting to wish he hadn't come over at all. 'I tell him that, he asks to rent my boat. I say I need it. He gets angry and thumps me across the head when I'm not looking!' Hamada pointed to his bruise.' Bastard takes my keys and leaves. Denna's gone to get the village guard.'

'Why would someone want to go out to the dam?'

'No clue. Never saw him before.'

Sasuke's black eyes flickered to the dam in the distance. A queer feeling suddenly took over him. As if the Force was trying to talk to him, but didn't know the words. 'What would happen if the dam broke?' he asked slowly.

'What do you think?' Hamada laughed. 'The village would…' Hamada seemed to realise what Sasuke was thinking.

'…It would flood.' Sasuke finished.

Hamada nodded. He turned to Sasuke. 'You don't think that's what's happening, do you?' a few of the people who surrounded them had overheard, and begun to whisper to each other.

'After what I've seen today, I wouldn't put it past him.'

'Past who?'

'This man who attacked you,' Sasuke snapped. 'What did he look like?'

'Uh, tall fellow.' Hamada said, struggling to remember. 'Short hair. Wore a cloak…like yours, but it was-'

'Grey-black?' Sasuke cut in, remembering a holo-clip he'd seen before they'd departed Konoha.

Hamada nodded.

'Dammit,' Sasuke snapped. He turned away from the crowd, deciding now was the time to get Kakashi. 'Get me a boat, now.' He shouted, using his Force imbued sprint to cover the distance between the river's edge and Kaiza's.

'Kakashi!' Sasuke yelled as he burst through the door and hopped up the stairs three at a time. Kakashi was on his feet and facing him when he reached the top.

'What is it?' the Jonin asked.

'It's Zabuza,' Sasuke gasped. 'He's going to flood the village.'