Chapter 1

Senator Kagome Higurashi stared out the main window of her spacecraft at the approaching planet. Most worlds showed colors on their daylight side, the greens of the forest worlds, the blues of watery planets, the glittering white of ice worlds, the sandy yellow of desert planets like Tatooine. On their night side, most planets were dark, with an occasional twinkle of light marking the largest cities.

Coruscant's day side was a dull, metallic gray, the color of the millions of buildings and platforms that covered its entire surface. Its night side glowed amber from the lights of those same buildings, like the stars of the galaxy in miniature.

The royal Naboo cruiser and its three fighter escorts curved around Coruscant toward their assigned landing platform. Kagome hadn't wanted the escorts, but her security officer had insisted that she was in danger. Captain Raye Penber was good at his job, so she reluctantly agreed. Since the trip had been uneventful, she already regretted giving in.

The three lobes of the landing platform came into sight. The royal cruiser landed on the center leaf. The three fighters took the other leaves, two to one side and one to the other. Captain Raye Penber, who had been piloting one of the fighters, swung out of his cockpit and removed his helmet.

"We made it," he said. "I guess I was wrong. There was no danger at all."

Kagome hardly heard him. On the platform, she could see Himeno Awayuki, one of her handmaiden-bodyguards, waiting among the landing crew. Himeno looked tired and tense.

The cruiser's ramp lowered. Kagome's guards came down first, then the rest of the Senatorial party. As they reached the foot of the ramp, the ground crew watched their arrival.

In the next instant, something knocked Kagome flat. Through the roaring in her ears, she heard cries of terror. She choked and blinked to clear the dark afterimage from her eyes, the image of the royal cruiser exploding. Kagome realized Captain Raye Penber was right along. But what concerned her was Nazuna, one of her handmaiden's acting as her double.

She was still a little breathless from her fall, but she could not wait. She shoved herself to her feet and ran toward the wreckage. At the foot of the ramp lay several crumpled figures and one of them was Nazuna.

Kagome ripped off her pilot's helmet and gathered Nazuna in her arms. "Nazuna, are you alright?"

Nazuna's eyes opened. She stared blankly at Kagome for an instant, then seemed to recognize her. "Miss Kagome… I'm sorry…"

Her eyes closed as she lay lifeless. "No!" Kagome cried. She hugged her dear friend's body. "No! Not now. Not here. Not when we were safe on Coruscant."

But Coruscant was not safe. Captain Raye Penber had thought any attack would come during the trip, when an assassin would have all of space in which to flee. That was why he had insisted that Kagome pilot one of the fighters instead of relying solely on her double. "A decoy is no help if you're standing right next to it," he told her. "As long as you're on board, anyone who attacks the cruiser will attack you, even if Nazuna is playing the Senator. You have to be somewhere else." So she had been, and now Nazuna was dead, just when they should all have been able to stop worrying at last.

Still shocked by the sudden assassination attempt, Raye Penber stood next to Kagome and said, "Come, Senator. We must leave quickly before the assassin figures out you survived.

Kagome gently lowered Nazuna's body to the ground. She looked up and saw other motionless bodies: two of her guards and another handmaiden. She swallowed hard and forced her eyes to move onto the twisted wreckage of the starship. Tears stung her eyes. "I shouldn't have come back," she murmured, half to herself.

"This vote is very important," Penber reminded her. "You did your duty and Nazuna did hers. Now come."

Kagome wiped her tears away. The least she could do was to see these people clearly, these people who had given their lives for her. "I promise, I won't let your sacrifices be in vain. Especially you, Nazuna. There will be peace."

Knowing her Captain was right, Kagome went with him to safety. Following her was her robotic animal friend, Tails, who managed to survive the blast.

It took longer than Kagome had expected to change and get to the Senate chamber. By the time she and her escorts arrived, most of the flying platforms that covered the walls of the vast arena were occupied and the session had started. Kagome heard one of the Senators shouting as she entered her platform.

"... needs more security now before it comes to war!"

Kagome craned her neck. The speaker was Senator Marechiyo Omaeda, an overweight man who was one of the biggest supporters of the Military Creation Act.

"Must I remind the Senator that negotiations are continuing with the Separatists?" Chancellor Izuna Uchiha said firmly. Kagome found it hard to understand how he could remain so calm in the face of such constant provocation, but somehow Izuna always seemed unaffected by the angry shouting around him. "Peace is our objective here," Izuna went on, "not war."

As the Senators shouted responses to Izuna's comments, Kagome flicked the controls of her platform, setting it in motion. Deftly, she maneuvered around the other platforms already hovering near the center of the arena. It was a good thing she had arrived when she did.

"My noble colleagues, I concur with the Supreme Chancellor!" Kagome said as soon as she reached the speaking area. "At all costs, we do not want war!"

To Kagome's surprise, a stunned silence fell over the entire Senate. A moment later, cheers and applause sound from every platform, though with less enthusiasm.

"It is with great surprise and joy that the chair recognizes the Senator from Naboo, Kagome Higurashi," said Izuna.

The unusual emotion in his voice told Kagome what had happened. She figured they must have heard about the explosion. If that was the case, she could use the attack to show them just how important this bill was. "Less than an hour ago, an assassination attempt was made against my life," she began. "One of my bodyguards and six others were ruthlessly and senselessly murdered." Her voice wavered as she remembered

Nazuna, but she forced herself on. She must show them how important it was to avoid war.

"I was the target," Kagome continued. "But more importantly I believe this security measure before you was the target. I have led the opposition to build an army. But there is someone in this body who will stop at nothing to assure its passage."

Some of the Senators booed. Kagome kept her face calm with the skill of long practice, but inwardly she was dismayed to see how many of her colleagues were slipping toward supporting the army bill. "I warn you," she said, "if you vote to create this army, war will follow. I have experienced the misery of war firsthand. I do not wish to do it again.

"Please, wake up, Senators! You must wake up! If we offer the Separatists violence, they can only show us violence in return!" With growing passion, she pleaded with the Senators to reject the security measure, but the response was a chorus of groans and boos.

Omaeda moved his platform next to hers and addressed the Chancellor. "My motion to defer the vote must be dealt with first. That is the rule of the law."

Kagome glared at him. From the central podium, Izuna gave her a sympathetic look, but his voice was as firm as it had been. "Due to the lateness of the hour and the seriousness of this motion we will take up these matters tomorrow. Until then, the Senate stands adjourned."

Shocked by this, Kagome looked to Himeno and said, "What is he doing? Is he so sure that we will lose the vote?"

A small viewscreen on the platform pinged, announcing a message. Kagome looked down. The Chancellor was asking her to a private meeting in his office. Perhaps she would get some answers there.

Izuna's office, high in a skyscraper overlooking the Senate building, was vast but comfortable. The deep-cushioned blue sofa that faced Izuna's desk was wide enough and low enough to accommodate almost anyone in the Republic with ease. Thick rugs covered the floor, tall windows let in light from every direction. The two royal guards, flanking the door in their new red robes and helmets, stood out against the soothing background, a reminder of both the power and the danger of the Chancellor's position.

Arturia approved of the windows, but the rest failed to impress her. Earning it, Izuna certainly had, no one could say he had not worked hard for the Republic and for peace. But Jedi preferred simpler surroundings, though none of the senior members of the Jedi Council who had come to discuss the situation with Izuna would ever have said so. The luxury made Arturia twitch.

"I don't know how much longer I can hold off this vote," Izuna told the Jedi facing him. He sounded tired. "Almost everyday, more and more star systems are joining the Separatists."

"I could sense everyone's fears in the Senate," Arturia said, sadly. "And fear gives power to the dark side. I don't understand why I couldn't foresee this. We should have foreseen it. As the dark side grows powerful, it keeps clouding our attempts to see the future."

"If they do break away…" Sesshomaru began reluctantly.

"I refuse to let this Republic that has prevailed for 25,000 years crumble around us!" Izuna interrupted. "I swear to you, I won't let the negotiations fail."

"I commend you, Chancellor, for stopping the vote," Arturia told him. "But at this moment we're running out of time. I only hope this doesn't come to war."

Sesshomaru looked at Izuna with a grave expression, and continued where he had left off. "Chancellor, should the negotiations fail and it does come to war, you must also realize there aren't enough Jedi to protect the Republic. You can't ask us to serve in an army. We're merely keepers of the peace, not soldiers." Jedi Master Michiru Kaioh nodded in agreement.

Izuna stared at them for a moment, then turned. "Master Arturia, can you see what the future holds for the Republic?"

Arturia closed her eyes as she connected with the Force. The dark side hung like a thick fog over everything, hiding even the near events that usually were so clear, and growing more dense the further ahead she tried to look. Lightsabers flashed blue and green in the fog, but few, too few, and she caught more and more glimpses of a glowing red that no Jedi would ever wield. "It's impossible to see. But from what I see, if we don't act soon, something much worse than war could come. In the meantime, we must do our duty as Jedi."

The other Jedi looked at her, while Izuna turned to answer a buzzer on his desk. Never in her life had Arturia felt that dark side so strong.

The office door opened. Even before the delegation of loyalist Senators entered, Arturia felt a familiar presence. Smiling a little sadly, she rose and moved forward to greet Senator Kagome Higurashi. It was like her to insist on returning to work at once, despite the attempt on her life and the deaths among her crew. Though her face was calm, Arturia could sense her grief. "Senator Higurashi. My condolences on the friends you have lost. I just wished it didn't have to happen. I'm grateful that you're still alive. The Force is very strong with you."

"Thank you, Master Pendragon," Kagome replied softly. She looked at the other Jedi and asked, "Do you have any idea who was behind this attack?"

"Our intelligence points to disgruntled spice miners on the moons of Naboo," Sesshomaru told her.

Kagome frowned. "I don't know. It can't be that simple. I've made many enemies among the Separatist and there's only one person that I know has it out for me. I believe Countess Cornelia li Britannia is behind it."

Even Kagome's security officer looked startled by this announcement. Apparently the young Senator had not told him of her theory. The other Senators murmured among themselves, except for Euphemia li Britannia, who was the sister of Cornelia and it wouldn't surprise her if her older sister was indeed behind the assassination attempt. Sesshomaru and Michiru exchanged glances. Then Sesshomaru said, "You know, Senator Higurashi, that Cornelia was once a Jedi. She wouldn't assassinate anyone. It's not in her character."

"I agree with the Senator that simple spice miners could arrange such an assassination plot," spoke Arturia. "But looking for the assassin isn't our priority. What should be a priority is protecting the Senator."

Kagome's frown deepened. Izuna studied her for a moment, then rose and went to the window. Looking out over the city, he said, "Master Arturia, may I suggest the Kagome be placed under the protection of your fellow knights."

"I agree with the Chancellor," Euphie concurred. "After all, should the assassin strike again, I believe normal security won't be enough. Having a Jedi protect her would be the best option."

"Chancellor," Kagome said, sounding slightly put out. "Don't I have a say in this. After all, I don't believe the situation is that serious."

Izuna sighed. "Perhaps not, Kagome. But I'm willing to take any risks. However, I realize all too well that additional security might be disruptive for you. If that is the case, I can assign someone you're familiar with, like… Master Elric." He nodded inquiringly at Sesshomaru.

"That's possible," Sesshomaru replied slowly. "In fact, he's just returned from a border dispute on Ansion."

Izuna turned back to Kagome. "After all, he did help look after you during the conflict on Naboo."

"That is not necessary, Chancellor!" Kagome insisted. "I don't want any more security or guards. I too am capable of handling myself as well."

"Please, Kagome," Izuna pleaded desperately. "We had a big scare today. I can't imagine the thought of losing you. You're too important for Naboo and the Republic."

Kagome sighed and nodded.

"I will have Edward report to you immediately, Senator," Sesshomaru said gravely. He and Michiru rose to leave.

Arturia paused before following them. Something more was needed. She studied Kagome, who was biting her lip in evident frustration and approached her. "I'm sure you are capable of handling yourself, Senator. But you must think about yourself rather than worrying too much about politics. You must recognize the danger that surrounds you and accept our help."

As they left the Chancellor's office, Arturia was pleased to see Kagome looking thoughtful instead of annoyed. Her heart was good, but too often did she act on impulse. Better she would do if she stopped to think, and let wisdom guide her passion.

The hydrolift door slid open, letting in a wash of cool damp air. In the past 10 years, Inuyasha had grown accustomed to worlds that were too cold and too damp, especially after growing up on Tatooine. He couldn't believe he was going to see Kagome after all these years. He still recalled back as a kid when Kagome found him shivering in the ship and she covered him with her jacket. He could still remember the faint scent on the red silk.

Inuyasha had been hoping that Kagome would be there to greet him and Edward, but the only person in sight was Hanataro Yamada. Hanataro's enthusiastic and slightly awkward greeting made it clear that his years in Galactic politics had not changed him much from the clumsy goof Inuyasha remembered.

"It's good to see you too, Hanataro," Edward said, smiling.

"And I assume this must be your apprentice," Hanataro said, with an attempt at dignity. Then he peered more closely at Inuyasha. "No! Inuyasha! Look at you. You've gotten so big. You were so little last time I saw you."

"Hi, Hanataro," Inuyasha said, grinning. He hoped Hanataro wasn't going to remind everyone of his childhood. Still, Hanataro's happiness was irresistable, and he let himself be pulled into an enormous hug.

"The Senator is expecting you," Hanataro went on and Inuyasha took a deep breath.

Hanataro led them into a room off the main corridor. Inuyasha had a vague impression of light and understated elegance, but his attention was caught immediately by the sight of Kagome and one of her handmaidens conferring with Captain Raye Penber.

Inuyasha stopped short. Light gleamed on the coils of Kagome's dark hair, and a long blue velvet vest clung to her slender figure. She was even more beautiful now than she had been 10 years ago, even more beautiful than the rosy memory he had treasured for 10 year. The thought that someone wanted to hurt made his blood boil. He hardly even heard what Hanataro was saying.

Kagome and the others turned. When she saw Edward, Kagome smiled in recognition and rose to greet him.

"It's good to see, Kagome," Edward said.

Kagome smiled and took his hand. "Feeling is mutual. I see you've grown into a brilliant Jedi Knight. Just so you know, I really don't think you're really needed for this situation."

Edward said only, "I know you may not like it, but I'm sure the Jedi Council has their reasons."

Releasing Edward's hand, Kagome moved in front of Inuyasha. He looked down at her as she stared up doubtfully at him. Recognizing his silver hair, she said hesitantly, "Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha nodded. Kagome stared for another moment, then said weakly, "I can't believe it's you. Inuyasha, looks like you've grown into quite a young man."

"I may have changed, but you certainly haven't," Inuyasha replied. "Never would have expected you to be a Queen from a Senator."

Kagome only laughed and shook her head. Then she said, "And you'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine."

Discomfited, Inuyasha looked down and mumbled, "I'm not a little boy anymore." He was almost glad when Edward distracted her, saying, "I promise we won't be a bother to you, Kagome."

"I'm very grateful you're here, Master Elric," Penber said. "The situation is more dangerous than the Senator will admit."

Kagome sighed. "I've already made it clear that I don't need security. All I want are answers. I need to find out who's trying to kill me."

"With all due respect, Senator, we're only here to protect you," Edward told her. "The council didn't instruct us to do an investigation."

Inuyasha couldn't stand the look on her face. "We will find out who's trying to kill you, Kagome. I promise you no harm will come to you," Inuyasha vowed.

Edward gave him a disapproving look and said sternly, "Inuyasha, we will only protect her as the council instructed. An investigation is only for the job of local authorities."

"And shouldn't the job of bodyguard be left to local security?" Inuyasha questioned. Edward sighed and knew this was one of those moments when Inuyasha acted willfully and questioned the Jedi Council. "If we really want to get to the bottom of this, we should start looking for clues relating to the killer. Being protective bodyguards would only be a waste of time."

"Inuyasha!" Edward said, strictly. "We will do as the council has instructed. And please, try to listen to me this time." Edward took a deep breath as Inuyasha remained silent, knowing better than to give his master a hard time.

Kagome looked at them and said, "On second thought, maybe having will have some benefit. If the killer intends to strike again, it's possible he may or may not reveal himself, considering the circumstances. If you'll excuse me, I will turn in for the night. Good night to the both of you."

Inuyasha stared gloomily after Kagome and her handmaiden as Edward and Penber discussed security arrangements. Penber departed, leaving only Hanataro, who was still thrilled to see his old friends again. However, he was troubled at how silent Inuyasha was.

"She didn't even see me, Hanataro." The words slipped out before he realized. "All she ever sees is that kid I was. I'm a Padawan now. I figured she'd be interested in what I've accomplished. It's like I didn't exist to her."

Hanataro said with a surprising gentleness, "I'm sure she saw you, Inuyasha. It's just, now's not the perfect time. She lost a lot of her friends during that assassination attempt. Just give it some time."

"Don't let negative feelings cloud your judgment, Inuyasha," Edward put in. "Be mindful of your thoughts. I'm sure she was glad to see you. Now, let's check the security here."

"Yes, Master," said Inuyasha.

Mittelt pulled her speeder up to the side of the skyscraper and set the controls to hover. Her contact was already waiting for her, fully armed and armored. She snorted softly. Why Coyote Starrk made such a thing out of wearing that Mandalorian battle armor all the time, she couldn't understand.

She was angry that the whole plan went wrong. Mittelt informed Starrk of how she hit the target, but they tricked her with a decoy.

Thinking things through, Starrk replied, "I never expected they would pull such a move. We'll have to try something more subtle this time, Mittelt. My client is getting impatient."

"I'll bet," Mittelt replied sarcastically.

"There can be no mistakes this time," Starrk went on. Take these. Be careful. They're very poisonous."

He reached out, offering her a short fat tube. Through the clear side, she saw several Kouhuns, foot-long creatures that looked like giant worms with hundreds of legs. She took the tube, her mind racing. If these were really poisonous, she'd have to be sure the Senator was alone, and unlikely to notice their approach. Giving Starrk an absentminded nod, she tucked her new assassination weapon under her arm and walked back to her airspeeder, lost in contemplation of the job ahead.

Character Appearances:

Nazuna (Inuyasha)

Tails (Sonic X)

Raye Penber (Death Note)

Kagome Higurashi (Inuyasha)

Marechiyo Omaeda (Bleach)

Izuna Uchiha (Naruto)

Himeno Awayuki (Pretear)

Sesshomaru (Inuyasha)

Arturia Pendragon (Saber)

Michiru Kaioh/Sailor Neptune (Sailor Moon)

Euphemia li Britannia (Code Geass)

Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Inuyasha (Inuyasha)

Hanataro Yamada (Bleach)

Mittelt (Highschool DxD)

Coyote Starrk (Bleach)