AN!: First off THANK YOU! To all of the people that reviewed and PM'ed me. I got so many I couldn't keep up with the replies. I am not quitting, in fact all the good reviews I got were invigorating, I started writing and covered two more chapters for my Chuck story as well as some more on the sequel to this story which I think I'm going to call The Shadow of war and peace. I got a few bad reviews mixed in with all the good ones and they made me laugh. I really liked deleting them.
Now lets cover some of the questions asked: Harry is going to be jumping universes, not time, and he's going to be doing it to fight big bad guys as well as to make a few strategic kills. So expect him to encounter a Ring, some Romulans, a Blue Sun, Some modern Marvels. If you know all of those then I hope you guys are excited and that's just thinking about the future, if you have some other ideas drop them in a review and if I know enough about the verse then I might ad it to the ever growing plot line. If not I was also thinking about franchising this bitch out to other writers like they do in comic books. Same story, same characters, different writers. I know Naruto, and Narnia are very popular but I must admit I've never seen or read either of them. The same can be said for Twilight, and anything girl related. Sorry, I know it's a lot of people's favorite, but I can't sit through it.
So on with the show!
AN: Beta'ed by, Mad about the Boro
Chapter 14
Six months later, Harry watched from the shadows of a roof top as Plo followed a man in the shadows of a dark alley, in the slums of Aldera, the capital city of Alderaan.
The man was heading back to his rundown house three streets over, and the young girl he had tied up in his basement.
The man was a serial killer.
The young girl would have been victim number four. Or rather, she would have been, if not for the fact that she was being treated at a hospital for the things he'd done to her, so far.
He liked to keep them for a long time before he finished the job.
The three Sentinels that worked in Aldera had a list of ten suspects.
Harry had picked the killer out of the stack of files in a matter seconds, but he let Plo take the lead on this case.
It was his first serial killer, and it took him a total of five minutes to figure out the chain of evidence that lead them to the house of their killer. The Council Master was furious when he found the girl in the house.
The girl, a twelve year old taken from a school playground, was bound to a bed with chains, naked.
She was a mass of small painful cuts. The killer liked to draw out the torture for as long as he could.
Harry had healed most of the cuts with a wave of his hand, and wrapped the little girl in a soft blanket, before popping her off to a local hospital.
Plo tracked the killer to the bar, through the Force, and was all set to storm in there with his blasters out.
Harry stopped him.
"You cannot go in there and shoot the guy. You will cause mass panic, that might result in bystanders getting hurt. We will wait him out, and do it in a dark alley somewhere." Harry instructed.
"You're right. I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." Plo apologised.
"Trust me, I know. How do you think I learned not to do it in public?" Harry replied, walking away.
Harry watched the guy stumble out of the bar and down the street, from his perch on the roof across the street.
Harry wanted to see what he was going to do next.
This was kind of a final tests, to see what his limit was. If he took this guy alive, then Harry knew he could handle worse jobs.
If he killed the guy out of rage, then Harry knew this was his limit.
If he killed the guy quickly, and quietly, and walked away from the situation, then Harry knew he had no limit.
The key was his intent.
Seeing that little girl would have pissed off anyone. Jedi or not. But, if he could take that anger, and push it aside to get the job done, then he had what it took to do the jobs Harry did.
If he let it get to him, and used that rage to kill this scumbag, then he would be restricted to regular Shadow duties, like the rest of them.
Either way, it would lighten Harry's work load, and allow him to spend more time with Luminara.
It would also let him take on a new apprentice.
Plo waited until the killer was in the darkest part of the alley, before he made his move.
Before the guy even knew what was going on, Plo grabbed him, stunned him, and popped in next to Harry. He threw the guy to the ground at Harry's feet.
"Take him, before I lose my temper." Plo growled out.
"You okay?" Harry asked, with a raised eyebrow.
"No!" Plo spit out, before kicking the unconscious man in the balls a few times.
"Feel better?" Harry asked, laughing.
Plo got his breathing under control and nodded.
"I really do. Thanks for asking." He said, in his regular calm voice.
Harry bound the guy with a wave of his hand.
"It happens, with guys like this. I myself would have just shot him and left him in the alley. But, you did good. You kept your head in the game, and executed the mission. Let's take this guy to the Sentinel spy hub, and drop him off. Then, we'll take a few days off to rest for a bit. You've earned it. Shadow." Harry transfigured the guy into a large gold coin, and tossed it to Plo; he was about to pop them both off the roof when he felt the pendent on his chest buzz. He pulled it out and activated it, to find Luminara's panicked face on the screen.
"Talk to me, what's going on?" Harry said, his own fear growing.
"Harry, I need you to come quick! A sentinel slicer has been taken by the Tsipar. They have her in one of their complexes. I'm on.."
"Dantooine. I know. I also know that they would keep her at their main compound on that same world. Go to a bar called the Victory, it will be in your nav. computer. There you will find a guy called Reb Borgod, he's the local informant on the Tsipar. He'll give you specs and layouts for the complex, for a big sack of credits. I'll be there in six hours. Do as much recon as you can without going in. See if you can contact her through the Force. Try to keep her calm." Harry said, popping them both to the ship.
"This is where we part ways, I think." Harry said, expanding his ship.
"I can come with you, and help you take the complex." Plo said, shrinking his ship with a wave of his hand.
"This isn't going to be a capture mission. I've been wanting to wipe these guys out for a while, and this is my chance. I'm not taking prisoners, and I'm not taking a green Shadow in there with me." Harry said.
"Then luckily for you..." Plo said, pulling the coin out and tossing it on the ground.
In one fluid hand movement, he dropped the transfiguration and drew and fired his blaster.
"I'm not a green Shadow." Plo continued calmly, as the killer died.
Harry tilted his head to the side and looked at the new Shadow.
He felt no remorse, no pull of the dark side, and no pleasure in killing the guy.
Harry nodded and waved him on to his ship.
"Let's go. After this mission, I think you're ready to be out there on your own." Harry said, lifting off and taking his ship out of the world.
"Who are these Tsipar people?" Plo asked, as the ship blasted into super cruse.
"A cartel of slave traders and drug lords. I have always wanted to go after them. The problem is, if they are gone, then ten other low life organizations take their place. Technically, what they are doing is sanctioned by the government of Dantooine. They disavow that slave trading goes on in their part of the Galaxy, and we have never been given permission to conduct a mission into their stronghold, to stop them; but now we don't need permission. They have crossed a line that cannot be uncrossed. They captured a Jedi. They broke laws under the Galactic Republic, that puts then in conflict with the Jedi. In their urge to hurt that Jedi, they gave me the permission to do what I'm about to do." Harry said, looking out of the window at the stars streaking by.
"And, what is it you are about to do?" Plo asked.
"Wipe them off the face of the Galaxy." Harry replied, deep in thought.
They landed just over six hours later, in a field a few kilometers away from the huge compound, and huge it was.
The compound was made up of ten buildings. Four long barracks type buildings; four huge hangers; a huge prison type building, were the slaves were locked up; and a huge manor house, holding the upper ranks of the Tsipar crime family; including Ta-bor, head of the family.
Harry and Plo met Luminara in a crop of trees, not too far from the walled off complex.
When they arrived, Harry found Luminara sitting with her back to a tree, with her eyes closed and tear tracks lining her pretty face.
"For the last three hours, they have been torturing her for fun. For fun!" She sobbed.
Harry kissed her softly.
"We are going in to get her, and before this night is over, I am going to burn this place to the ground. You have my word, revenge will be ours, before this night is over. Now, how many of them are there?" Harry asked, getting down to business.
"It's hard to tell. There are a lot of slaves in that building. I can hardly feel the Tsipar. I can tell you there are a lot of them, but most of them are asleep in the barracks. That still leaves about a dozen guards that I can see, plus who knows how many more in the house and prison?" She briefed.
"Okay, we are going to do this from the shadows. Stay low, and to the shadows. I'll go in first, and take out the two guard towers, and the ten patrollers. At that point, I'll call you two in to take out the guards in the barracks. Stun and transfigure. Quick and quiet. While you two do that, I'll hit the main house. Once we have the girl, we can go full assault. Take as many prisoners as you can, but don't get hurt doing it. Stick with blades for now, we don't want to draw attention to ourselves." Harry said, pulling his hood up and fading into the background.
Harry reappeared in the shadows of the north guard tower. There were two guards standing back to back, looking in different directions.
Harry pulled a black knife from his boot, and ghosted up behind one of the guards. His attack was lightning fast, and absolutely silent. With his left hand, he reached around the guards head and grabbed his mouth. With his right, he pushed his knife through the back of his neck, severing his spine and killing him instantly.
A second later, he repeated this action with the other guard.
He took out the two guards in the south tower the same way. From the tower, he tracked the ten patrolling guards.
After getting their patterns down, Harry dropped down off the tower and started stalking the guards. Employing the same kill tactics as the four guards in the towers, he took out the ten guards, quickly and quietly.
He pulled his comm out, and called in the all clear, before moving to the main house.
Two guards stood by the front door in full armor, and carrying high powered blaster rifles. Harry pulled his black katana, and transfigured a few rocks at the bottom of the steps into gold credits.
He waited at the edge of the shadows, ten feet away from the steps, for the perfect moment.
It came seconds later, when one of the guards looked down and saw the credits.
He came down the five steps and bent over to look at them, and Harry took his head clean off.
The second guard tried to shoulder his rifle, but by the time he swung it up into place, he too was missing a head.
Harry came into the entrance hall, and tossed a knife into the guard's head on the staircase, without missing a beat.
He stopped and felt out with the Force, to locate the missing Sentinel. He felt her to his left, and down, so he took the west hall and looked in each room, until he found a stairway.
Ghosting down it, he found himself in a cave like dungeon, full of cells.
His target was at the end of the row of cells, chained to the wall with force binders. Her body hung limp, and she was covered in blood.
Harry vanished the cell door and opened the binders. He woke her up, and calmed her down, before healing a few of the worse wounds, and giving her an energy tonic.
"Can you walk?" Harry asked, softly.
"Not very far." She croaked out, in pain, as she tried to put pressure on her broken legs.
"Okay. Then take this, and sit tight. I have a few people to take care of." He said, smiling reassuringly.
He covered her with a blanket and handed her a K1 blaster. When he stood up and turned around, his smile fell and was replaced with rage.
Harry stalked from room to room, killing as he went.
Ten guards, three higher ups, and Ta-bor's younger, more sadistic, brother later; Harry arrived at Ta-bor's bedroom.
Harry vanished the door, and Force lifted Ta-bor by his long hair, from the bottom of a pile of young slave girls.
The girls freaked out. Harry pointed to the door.
"Go, now, before you share in his fate." He said, in a voice that made them shiver.
One of the girls pulled a knife from the bedside table and threw it at Harry. Harry caught the knife by the handle, inches from his face, scaring the girls worse.
"I said go!" the girls ran from the room. Harry turned back to Ta-bor. "As for you, you've made a very big mistake, Ta-bor. I left you alone because, politically, the Jedi couldn't touch you, and you knew this. But you just had to step over the line, didn't you?" Harry said, binding Ta-bor.
"Now, I'm going to make sure you spend the rest of your, very short, life in the worst prison I can find. I'm going to make sure you end up in a cell with a relative of a trafficked girl. I'm going to make sure you suffer, for a very long time, before you are given the sweet release of death." Harry promised.
"Please, I have money. I can make you rich if you let me go." Ta-bor pleaded.
Harry backhanded the slaver.
"You think you can bribe me? I should kill you where you stand! As it is, you owe that young Jedi something. Something you took from her." Harry said.
"What?" Ta-bor asked, fearfully.
"The ignorance of true pain." Harry said, before he took Ta-bor's arm off at the elbow with his lightsaber. Harry then stunned and transfigured Ta-bor into a coin.
He was about to leave the room, when a wave of death poured over him.
Harry reached out through the Force to see who it was.
Luminara was fine. She was fighting alongside Plo, as they took out the last few stragglers. He next looked to the Slicer, but she was fine too.
Harry dropped deeper into the Force, and felt outwards. Not on this planet. Not in this system.
Rattatak, yes Rattatak.
Feeling out, over the planet, Harry felt a young Jedi. A Dathomiri girl.
She was standing over her dead Master. Ky Narec.
She was in mourning, but her sorrow was shifting into something else. Something darker. Anger was filling her. She felt the pull of the Dark Side, and she was accepting it.
Harry tried to contact her. He tried to calm her mind, but all he got was anger. She wanted blood, and blood she was going to get.
Harry tried one more time, and finally got through to her. "Calm your mind, my child."
"I am not a child!" She screamed.
"No, you are not a child. You are a young woman, and far along into your training, Padawan Ventress. Tell me, what has you feeling such anger and rage?" Harry queried, projecting his respect.
"They killed my Master! I want revenge."
"And revenge you shall have, but you will do so with a clear head, and without rage in your heart. Now, stay where you are, and I will be there in a few hours to help you get your revenge." Harry instructed.
"You would help me get revenge? I thought it was against the Jedi way to take revenge on your enemy?" She asked.
"The Jedi way, yes, but not the Shadow way. Revenge without rage, is Justice, and Justice is the Shadow way." Harry said softly.
"The Shadow way?" She asked.
"Yes, young one. The Shadow way. If you wait for me to help you get your Justice, then I can show you the way of the Shadow. If you wait to get your revenge, then I can finish your training." Harry said.
"I don't want a new Master! I have a Master!" She said, angrily.
"I never said I would be your Master. I would never dare to take his place. You would be my student. Not my Padawan. Would you agree to be my student?" Harry asked.
"If you help me avenge my Master, I will do anything you ask, but I have already killed the two assassins they sent." She said, bowing her head even though Harry was not there to see it.
"I know. I will make you a deal, right here and right now. I will help you get your vengeance, and I will finish your training, young one." Harry said, projecting calming peace.
"I accept, Master…"
"Potter, and you never need call me that. Call me Harry. I'll be there soon." Harry said, dropping the connection.
Harry helped with the clean up, and sent Plo back to the temple with the prisoners, and Luminara back to Alderaan with the Slicer, to get treatment and rest at a luxury medical facility.
Harry then made his way to Rattatak, and landed near where he could feel Asajj. He found her standing watch, over a pyre with her Master's body.
She looked up when he approached, and Harry bowed his head in greeting.
"Did you know my Master?" She asked, in a soft raspy voice.
"No, I did not. Then again, he's been missing for eight years." Harry said.
"He has been here, teaching me." She said, running her hand through Ky's hair.
"Do you know the proper ritual for transcendence?" Harry asked.
"I do. I was just about to light the fire, but I don't know if I can." She said, looking every bit the young girl of fourteen she was.
"I can do it, if you want?" Harry offered.
"Yes, please." She said, touching her Padawan braid as tears fell down her pale white cheeks.
Harry lit the fire with his hand, and stood by the pyre the rest of the night, as the fire consumed the body of the Jedi Master.
The next morning, Harry woke Asajj up from where she cried herself to sleep, and brought her back to his ship. He made a calming tea, and watched as she downed the cup quickly.
"When was the last time you ate?" He asked her, softly.
"Yesterday morning." She said, holding the teacup between her two hands.
"That's what I thought." Harry brought out a plate with fruit, and made a simple oatmeal.
After they ate, they sat down in his meditation room and Harry had them relax and talk to each other.
Over the next three hours, they shared their life stories with each other. When they were done, Harry felt very connected to the girl, and Asajj took the time they spent to bond with Harry.
Harry stood up and stretched his legs, before walking over to the wall and pulling down a black katana, with pink cherry blossoms painted on the scabbard.
Harry handed the sword to Asajj.
"Every one of my students gets a katana forged by my hand. Each one different, and each one special to the person receiving it." He explained.
She only half heard what he was saying. She was too busy looking at the pink cherry blossom flowers, painted on her shiny black katana scabbard.
When she looked up Harry was standing next to her.
"This sword is very important to me." Harry said. "May I?"
She nodded, and Harry pulled the sword out and held it up to the light showing her the pink hue of the metal.
"I forged this blade one night, after my last run in with the bane of my existence many years ago: Jango Fett. I had just come out of a healing coma, and I was too buzzed to sleep, so I fired up the forge and heated a block of metal I won in a card game. It comes from a gem mine on Hoth. I heated it till it was glowing white, and when I struck it for the first time, nothing happened. I brought the hammer down again, and again. Nothing. My failure to forge the metal brought my failure to catch Jango Fett out. In my rage, I brought the hammer down and flattened the ingot. For the rest of the night, I took my rage out on this blade until my hammer, which up until that moment I had thought to be indestructible, broke. Enraged, I lashed out at the sword with my magic, before going to bed drained. The next morning, I found this thing on the floor, next to my mended hammer. The color reminded me of cherry blossoms. The grip is wrapped in a piece of my old dragon hide vest. It truly is one of a kind. A thing of beauty, forged in fire and crafted, and shaped, with hatred and violence." Harry said, softly.
"Thank you Harry. I will cherish it for all time." She said, bowing.
"Now, in his absence from the temple, your Master missed out on a few things. The Order is a lot more proactive now. We are stronger, and we use Magic too. I plan on spending the next few weeks here on Rattatak, with you, teaching you the basics of Magic and the Old Code. During this time period, we will carry out the kill orders on every person connected to the death of your Master. People in the Outer Rim need to know that if you kill a Jedi, there are consequences. After that, I will take you to the Temple for confirmation of you being my student. After that, I think we will spend some time traveling around, living and training on my girlfriend's ship. It will give us all a chance to bond, and also a chance for you to learn." Harry said.
It ended up taking them three weeks on Rattatak, to take care of the twelve war lords responsible for the death of Master Ky. After each kill, Asajj went to the local tattoo parlour, and got a tattoo on her head, as per the custom on Rattatak.
By the end, she was bald and covered in purple tattoos.
Harry thought she looked better with hair, but he didn't judge. After all, he too was covered in tattoos, as well.
The confirmation hearing did not go as smoothly.
Some of the Masters had doubts about Ventress being trained to be a Shadow, because she lacked the Temple upbringing. In the end, they all agreed that if she was going to be trained, they wanted someone like Harry training her.
So far, he was three for three with Padawans, and all of them were showing great results in the field, even Plo.
They met up with Luminara after a mission on Christophsis. Harry pulled her into a deep kiss and smiled.
"I've missed you." He told her.
"I've missed you too. Is it true that you're going to spend some time with me?" She asked, hopefully.
"It's true. Instead of hanging around the temple, we decided to hang around your ship, if you don't mind?" Harry asked, with a smirk.
"No, I don't mind at all. Is this your new Padawan?" She asked, smiling at the girl hiding under the Jedi robes.
"Yes, this is Asajj Ventress, my new student. Asajj, this is Luminara Unduli, my girlfriend." Harry said, waving the girl over to them.
"It's nice to meet you Asajj." Luminara said.
"It's nice to meet you as well." Asajj said, shyly.
"Why do you hide, young one." Luminara said, reaching out and dropping the hood covering Asajj's face.
"There, that's much better. I see Harry still has a thing for tattooed girls." She said, touching her own chin.
"You know it's my weakness." Harry said, rolling his eyes. "Come on, I got Padme to lend me her summer home for a week. We are all too pale for my liking. Let's get a move on. I want to be on the beach in a few hours. Obi and Siri said they might be able to make it out there, too. It'll be one big family holiday." Harry said, walking into Luminara's ship.
"Come on, before he takes off without us." Luminara said, slinging an arm over Asajj's shoulders.
"My new Master is a bit of a strange one, isn't he?" Asajj said, smiling.
"You have no idea, my dear. When it comes to Harry, he's one of a kind. I'm still not sure if that's a good, or bad thing." Luminara said, laughing.
When they made their final approach into Naboo, they got their first sight of the Royal summer home.
The mansion was a few hundred feet of white sand private beach away from the crystal blue waters of the lake.
It was the only residence for miles, and Harry could see the huge fence surrounding the property.
Harry landed next to the Nubian Royal yacht, and made sure to leave enough room for Obi to land next to them.
When they walked off the Night Hawk, they were meet by bright sun shine and Padme, dressed in normal clothes.
"Little sister, you are getting more mature every time I see you. How are you doing, kid?" Harry asked, hugging her.
"I'm doing very well, Harry. Naboo is thriving, the people are happy, which makes me happy, and no one has tried to kill me in a while." She said with a laugh.
"Well, I don't think you have to worry about that happening this week. I think all of the real Jedi power in the Galaxy, is coming here."
Luminara shoved Harry out of the way and hugged Padme.
"You can't hog all the hugging time." She berated Harry. To which he made a funny face and set the two women off.
"It's so good to see you, Padme; and out of those bulky formal robes, too." She said, pulling back to look the young queen over. She then pulled Asajj into the group hug. "Padme, this is Asajj Ventress. Harry's new Padawan."
"It's nice to meet you, Asajj. So, you're taking orders from this fool, now?" Padme asked, pointing at Harry.
"Unfortunately, Your Majesty." Asajj said, with a small smile.
"Oh no you don't! That's the one rule here at the lake house. No titles, or formalities. I'm Padme, and if he gives you a hard time, you come tell me and I'll make him pay for it." Padme said, walking with Asajj back to the house.
"Hey! I'll have you know, there's a wait list to be my Padawan! I'm the most requested Master in the Order!" Harry said, pouting.
"Note how he didn't mention the part about making him pay for his misdeeds?" Padme asked Asajj, laughing.
"And he won't, she has Mister Tough Guy Shadow, under her thumb." Luminara teased, coming up alongside the two, leaving Harry to follow behind them carrying the bags and mocking them.
"That's right, and I can see every face you're making back there Potter! You will pay for that." Padme stated, causing Harry to stop short. Which in turn set the girls off again.
Everyone changed out of their heavy clothes, into beach gear and found spots in the sand.
Harry created a tiki bar in the sand, with a wave of his hand, and set his cooler down.
He started pulling out bottles, and in minutes, he had a fully stocked bar with glassware and all.
For the rest of the day, the girls laid out in the sand with the dogs; and Harry kept their drinks full, and frosty.
When the sun started going down, Harry made a big fire pit and set up a grill. He grilled steaks, and fresh fish that he summoned from the lake.
Everyone had a good night, with Harry and Luminara making up for lost time.
The next morning, everyone was feeling the after effects of Harry's drinks, and decided to sleep in a bit.
Harry was the first one up. He threw on some shorts and started making breakfast.
Padme ambled down the steps next, still in her night shirt and dressing gown. She saw C3PO standing in the corner, turned off, and shook her head.
Harry really hated that droid.
She took a seat on the counter next to Harry, and he handed her a mimosa.
"The best cure for a hangover, is more booze, trust me." Harry said, before going back to flipping pancakes.
"This is really good, Harry. What's in it?" She asked, sipping the drink slowly. She learned from yesterday that Harry tended to mix his drinks a little too strong.
"Fresh squeezed orange juice, and a thousand credit a bottle of Alderaanian champagne." Harry said, causing Padme to choke a little bit.
"Harry!" She said, hitting him in the arm.
"What? I don't drink cheap crap." Harry said, laughing.
"Well, it is really good." She said, going back to sipping her drink. She looked over his shoulder. "What are you making?"
"Buttermilk pancakes, eggs, bacon, ham, fresh cut fruit, and my custom blend of tea." Harry said, waving the teapot under her nose.
"I love it when you come to visit. You always bring the good stuff." She effused.
"What happened to the big box I gave you, last time I was here?" Harry asked.
"I drank it all." She said, blushing.
"Padme! That was enough tea for a whole year. You better slow down on that stuff, it'll stunt your growth." Harry said, poking her in the side and making her giggle.
"I love it when you guys are around. Why can't you just live here, on Naboo?" She asked, hugging Harry from behind as he worked.
"Well, we might be able to spend some more time here now. I trained Master Plo to be a Shadow, and after Asajj and Anakin are knighted, we will have enough Shadows out in the field to take more time off. Settle down." Harry said.
"Settle down? Does that mean you're going to make an honest woman out of Luminara?" She asked, excitedly.
Harry wiped off his hands, and pulled out a small redwood ring box and handed it to Padme.
Inside was a thin platinum band, with a huge flawless diamond flanked by two large emeralds.
"Oh Harry, it's perfect. Did you make it?" She asked.
"Yeah. I made it a week after Obi and Siri's wedding. After we reconnected. I knew I wanted to be with her. Will you marry us, Padme, like you did for Obi and Siri?" Harry asked.
"Of course I will, you big dummy. When are you going to ask her?" Padme asked, handing the box back to him.
"The end of the week. With Obi, Siri and Anakin here. Our last night on Naboo." Harry said, going back to flipping pancakes.
"When do you want to do the wedding? You know I only have two more years as Queen, right? You can't drag your feet on this." She said, laughing.
"No, I'm covered. Senators can preside over weddings as well. So I can drag my feet for a very long time." Harry said, smiling in triumph.
"Always an out with you, right Harry?" She said, rolling her eyes.
"You know it. Now, go set the table. The others are starting to come around, and I just felt Obi break atmo. They'll be here in a few minutes." Harry said.
"They're coming now!?" Padme squawked. "I need to get dressed. I need to fix my face. I need…"
Harry grabbed her around the waist.
"Relax. You don't need makeup. You look cute. Just smile when he walks in, and he won't notice anything else. He hasn't seen you in almost a year. And it's been a hard year for him. His first time out in the field for real. Now, take this tray out to them when they land. Have the chatterbox carry it." he said, waving C3PO back on.
C3PO sprang back to life totally freaked out.
"HELP! HELP! Mistress Padme! OH, thank the maker you are okay! I was ambushed! Someone ambushed me and turned me off. I was so worried it was an intruder."
R2D2 just beeped, and spun his head around in a very easy interpretation of rolling his eyes.
Harry laughed at the little droid, and floated the tray of drinks to C3PO.
"Take these drinks and follow Padme. And if you break my calm again, I'll scrap you Goldie. You hear me?" Harry threatened, gesturing with a large chef's knife.
"Oh, I say, I did no such thing. I…" C3PO started to say, but stopped short when the knife embedded itself in the wall next to his head.
"Drinks. Outside. Now!" Harry ordered, pointing to the door.
"You seriously hate that droid, don't you Harry?" Padme asked, pulling the knife out of the wall.
"Your Noble Knight Skywalker programmed that droid to piss me off, I know it!" Harry said, narrowing his eyes.
"Sure Harry, it's a conspiracy." She said rolling her eyes.
The sound of a ship flew over head.
"That's them! Don't kill the astromech while I'm gone, okay?" She said, tossing the knife at Harry.
He caught it out of the air and finished chopping, without missing a beat.
"Whatever you say." Harry mocked out a bow as she ran out of the house chasing C3PO. R2 beeped and whizzed.
"Don't worry, Shorty. I like you. It's just the gold one I don't like." Harry said, shaking his head.
Anakin was the first person off the ship, and as soon as he saw Padme waiting for him, he ran down the ramp and pulled her in to a tight hug.
He pulled back and kissed her. It was their first real kiss, and it threw her for a curve ball for a second.
She recovered quickly, though, and kissed him back.
It was a sweet little kiss. One shared between blooming lovesick kids, but it was special, for a lot of different reasons.
It was the first kiss that Anakin initiated. It was the first kiss after a long absence. This was also the first kiss they shared out of uniform, so to speak. It was the first kiss shared between just Anakin and Padme. Not Padawan Skywalker and Queen Amidala.
Obi and Siri stood on the ramp, and watched the two of them, smiling.
With the two of them out of formal robes, it was clear to see the changes in the two of them.
Without his Jedi robes, and with his latest growth spurt, Anakin stood almost a full head taller than her now. With broad shoulders and a loss of baby fat around his face, he looked way older than he was.
Padme, on the other hand, looked way younger than her formal robes and makeup made her look.
Obi saw the moment was over, and made his approach with his wife.
"Padme, it's good to see you." Obi said, hugging the young girl. Siri joined in the hug, and when they broke up the older couple smiled.
"Come on, you guys." Padme said, handing out drinks.
"Harry's making breakfast!" Padme said, taking Anakin's hand and walking back to the house.
Obi and Siri laughed as they followed behind them. When they got to the house, they found everyone up and around the table already.
"I see the other two ladies are up as well." Padme said, smiling.
"It's hard to sleep when someone buzzes the house." Luminara said, giving Obi the stink eye.
"Did I wake you up, at almost noon, Lumi?" Obi asked, innocently, as he took a seat across from her.
She literally growled at him.
"I wish death upon you, Kenobi. Slow and painful death." She said, ominously, holding her head.
Siri stood over Asajj, who had her head down on the table.
"Harry, is this the new girl?" She asked, pointing at her.
Harry lifted Asajj's head and put a fully loaded plate under it, before dropping it again.
When her face landed in her pancakes, her head shot up and her lightsaber came out.
"Good reaction time!" Harry said, loudly.
Asajj looked around, confused for a second, until the tab of butter stuck to her forehead slid off her face and plopped down on her plate. Harry took the lightsaber out of her hand, and replaced it with a napkin.
"You have some syrup, right there on your face." Harry said, holding in the laugh.
The rest of the group did not hold it in however.
"Asajj Ventress, meet Obi and Siri Kenobi, and their Padawan Anakin Skywalker. With him, you have met every active Shadow in the Galaxy. This motley crew is all that stands between peace, and total darkness. This group of people, laughing at you like a bunch of idiots, is the real power behind the Jedi Order." Harry introduced.
"Nice to meet you all. Can I go back to sleep now, or are you going to stick bacon in my ears next?" She asked.
Harry smiled. "I wasn't going to do that, but now that you mention it…"
"Harry sit down. Asajj drink this. It will help you. The rest of you, stop laughing. This is the first impression she's going to have of some of you, and it's not looking good. Everyone sit down and eat." Padme commanded, with her hand on Asajj's shoulder.
"Thank you, Padme." Asajj said, before giving Harry a dirty look.
"Harry, why do half the people at this table look hung over?" Obi asked, between bites.
"Harry got us drunk!" Padme tattled.
"Is it my fault they can't handle their booze?" Harry asked.
"Harry, did you make your special Tropical Punch?" Obi asked.
"Maybe." Harry said, furtively, looking away.
"And did you tell them how strong it is?" Obi asked.
"Maybe…. Not" Harry confessed, smirking.
"Right. I remember the first time I had some of Harry's special Tropical Punch. I woke up on a pool floaty, in the middle of a pool, In an upscale resort on Alderaan." Obi said, smiling.
"Oh, come on! It wasn't that bad!" Harry complained.
"Did I mention I was naked? Because, I was. Totally naked." Obi retorted, giving Harry a dirty look.
"Oh, I see. It's hate on Harry day, is it? Well, if that's how you all feel, then I won't be sharing any of my punch today." Harry said, sulkily
"That's fine by me. I would like to keep my clothes on anyway." Obi said.
"Whatever. Come on, let's quit all this jaw jacking. We're wasting sun light." Harry said.
The rest of the week was spent on the beach, and in the surf.
Everyone had fun, and by dinner their last night on Naboo, everyone was sporting a deep tan.
Harry spent a few hours making a special dinner for the group.
When they all came down for dinner, the table was set with plates covered in silver domes. The lights were low, and candles were lit. Harry held Luminara's chair out for her.
When they were all seated, Harry waved his hand from his place behind Luminara, and the domes vanished, revealing loaded down plates with handmade pasta and clams, in a white sauce.
Except for Luminara.
On her plate was the open ring box. She picked up the little box with a shaky hand and Harry leaned over her shoulder.
"Marry me?" he asked.
"Yes! Oh Harry, its beautiful. Did you make it?" She asked, as Harry slipped the ring on her finger.
"Yes. I made it the week after Obi and Siri's wedding. I've been waiting until we could be together." Harry said, kissing her.
All the girls gathered around her, to look at the ring and talk about wedding plans.
Harry, Obi, and Anakin stood back, so they wouldn't get trampled. Harry picked up a plate
"I have no idea why I bothered to cook. I doubt they'll eat much." Harry said, scooping up some on the fresh made pasta and clams.
Obi grabbed a noodle off Harry's plate.
"This is good. Anakin, grab two plates, I'll get us some forks. We'll take it outside." Obi said.
The guys sat on the back deck eating, and sharing a bottle of wine.
"So, you're finally marrying her? It only took you what, almost a year?" Obi asked.
"Is it my fault we had work to do, because someone decided they worked better as a team? No, that was you, bounty hunter. If you two did real missions every once in a while, maybe I might have time to have a wife." Harry accused, launching a clamshell at Obi.
"Hey, we do real work!" Anakin defended. This set both Harry and Obi off.
"I know, kid. This is a long running joke between us." Harry said, laughing at Anakin's indignant look.
"Well, how am I supposed to know you two are crazy?" Anakin defended.
"Speaking of good work, how are you doing, out in the field?" Harry asked.
"I leave final judgment to my Master, but I can say I'm learning, and getting stronger, everyday. Obi and Siri are great teachers." Anakin said, shyly.
"Don't be so modest, Anakin. You're going to be knighted, this time next year. You keep up with us at every turn, and you show great maturity. You should tell Harry about the tradition you adopted." Obi said, smiling.
"What's this?" Harry asked, looking at the young man.
"I don't see what the big deal is." Anakin said, blushing.
"He takes on any challenger at the Temple. Padawans, knight, and Masters. He has yet to lose. He's keeping the tradition going. You should see how the younglings look up to him. Everytime we go back, more and more of them are in black robes. And you should see what he wears out in the field." Oni said, laughing.
"What's he wear?" Harry asked smirking at Anakin's discomfort.
"I'll give you a hint, he could be Ghost's twin." Obi said.
"Really? The full get up?" Harry asked.
"Black leather duster and all. He's even got the double gun belts with Westar 34's. I think we have a bit of a fan in our little Anakin." Obi said.
"I'm honestly touched, kid. But, if you're going to mold yourself after someone, pick Obi. The more honorable of the two of us." Harry said, flicking clamshells at Obi.
The girls came out laughing. Siri plopped down in Obi's lap. Luminara sat on the deck chair, between Harry's legs and leaned back into his chest. Padme sat next to Anakin, and took his hand.
Asajj looked around at all the couples, and turned around to go back in the house.
"Where do you think you're going?" Luminara asked, pulling her down in front of her.
"Harry, I think we need to find someone for Asajj." she said, hugging the girl from behind.
"I don't think so. She's too young." Harry said, protectively.
"Really, Harry? You're going to play the part of the over protective dad?" Padme asked.
"Why the hell not? I have everything else. I have a father in Master Yoda. I have a brother in Obi. An annoying little sister in you, Padme. I have a sister in-law in Siri. At some point in the future, I'll have a brother in-law in Anakin." He said, causing Padme to blush. He kissed Luminara. "I have a wife."
"Not yet, but soon." Luminara corrected.
"The only thing I'm missing, is a daughter." Harry said, touching Asajj's head. "What do you say, kid, do you want into this family?"
Asajj smiled shyly.
"I don't know, you all seem a little crazy to me." She said, smirking.
"That's just the way you get, hanging around Harry. You'll get there, soon enough." Obi said, smiling.
"And we might be crazy, but we look out for each other, and that's what counts." Padme said, smiling at Harry.
"Then, I guess I'm in." She said, nonchalantly, but everyone could see she was a little misty eyed.
"Then, it's settled. No man in the Galaxy is good enough for my little girl!" Harry said, holding both of his girls.
"Oh, come on Harry, there has to be someone out there that's good enough. We will start looking, don't worry Asajj." Padme assured.
"Thank you, aunt Padme." Asajj said, causing the whole group to fall all over themselves laughing.