Thank you all for your support, especially those of you who left reviews. Several of you pointed out that Quinlan and Aayla seemed a little hypocritical or heartless towards Naruto's emotional plight last chapter. In response I would say that yes, yes they were. For all that they are more understanding than the majority of the Jedi, they aren't immune to some Jedi hypocrisy.

For what I seriously doubt will be the last time, this will NOT be a harem fic. Naruto will not be getting with Aayla, or Shaak, or anyone except Ahsoka. To the guest reviewer who keeps asking for that to happen, by all means keep increasing my review count. Just don't expect it to have any effect on the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Star Wars.

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Chapter 5

Jiraiya had been right. Quinlan didn't like it. Not at all. And not just because of what Jiraiya told him about the realities of the shinobi, but because he didn't know how to feel about the two actual living examples he had on the ship with him. His own impressions of the two were very much at odds with what they had admitted about their culture.

On the one hand, the description of the shinobi culture those two had grown up in horrified him. Using child soldiers, carrying out political assassinations, building entire villages centered around training kids to become silent killers and saboteurs. It was as if someone had taken the worst aspects of the Outer Rim and designed a culture around them. The fact that they had been Force users made it even worse.

Their usage of the Force was focused almost entirely inward. They had not sensed or connected to the world around them, with rare exceptions. They mainly used their power to harm and destroy. It sounded far too close to the Dark side for his comfort.

He also wasn't thrilled that Jiraiya had glossed so heavily over the nastier aspects of his profession. Quinlan had gathered that Jiraiya had been a professional soldier. The man had left out the part about being part of a system that employed children as assassins from an early age. Quinlan understood the man's instinct for secrecy, but he did not appreciate it.

On the other hand, Naruto and Jiraiya both struck him as being very different from the world that had created them. Jiraiya in particular had been passionate in his description of his quest to bring peace to their world by promoting understanding between people. By his expression, Naruto was an equally ardent believer in his godfather's philosophy.

That philosophy resonated deeply with the Jedi Knight. It was in many ways a simplified version of the Jedi Order's own mission to uphold the peace as diplomats and mediators first, and warriors second. It formed a sharp contrast with what both of them had been called upon to do as shinobi.

In addition to that, there was the fact that he just plain liked the two of them. They did not radiate with the darkness he would have expected of two former professional killers. Indeed, they both shone brightly in the Light side of the Force. Naruto in particular seemed to possess very little true inner darkness. It was there, but it was buried beneath his innate kindness and desire to do good. His grief over losing his home and people was more of a temporary pall than a true innate darkness. It would pass in time, Quinlan was confident.

Jiraiya had more darkness in his soul than his pupil, but he was well aware of it, and kept it firmly in check. He reminded Quinlan of some of the older Jedi Masters, the ones that had been in the field for decades. Like them, Jiraiya had a clear understanding of his own character flaws and how to control them.

He was also loath to judge a primitive culture from a mere description, even a firsthand one. Jiraiya had been quite merciless in his description of his people, and Quinlan suspected he may have gone overboard somewhat. Not exaggerated per se, but perhaps left out many of the subtle nuances and silver linings that so often accompanied such brutal nations. Ultimately, Quinlan had not been there. He was seeing this from a very, very, far removed perspective.

He also could not deny that there would be a certain hypocrisy in condemning the shinobi for using child soldiers when Jedi Padawans were often considered children by the standards of their race. They were not often placed in such violent situations as these shinobi had placed their 'genin', but they were hardly coddled either.

In the end, it took Quinlan nearly two days of meditation and inner debate before he found an answer. He would not condemn Naruto and Jiraiya for the actions of their people. They struck him as two thoroughly decent people who had made the best of a bad situation. Whatever they may have done in the past, they deserved a fresh start. If anyone understood the importance of a fresh start it was him, after all.

When Quinlan emerged from his quarters, he immediately found Jiraiya and had a long conversation with him. He told him of his decision, but also gave him a warning. If Jiraiya abused his trust and used his skills for evil, Quinlan would personally hunt him down, and bring him to justice. He then had a somewhat less intense version of the same conversation with Naruto.

Aayla came to much the same conclusion as her master, though for slightly different reasons. Her friendship with Naruto, new though it was, gave her a fairly good understanding of the boy's character. She could feel the good in him. Even through the pall of his grief it still shone like a star. She could no more believe he was evil than she could Master Yoda.

Naruto was nervous at first after the truth of the shinobi world was brought to light. He was afraid that his new friend would abandon him. Aayla quickly assuaged those fears.

"I won't judge you for things in your past," she said. "It's the Jedi way to judge people for who they are in the moment, and to offer redemption to those who are lost. I don't think you're a bad person, Naruto. You may have brushed the Dark side before, but you found your way out again."

Naruto frowned slightly at that. A question had been itching at the back of his mind for a while now, but it had never really seemed like the right time to ask. He asked it now though.

"Aayla, what is the Dark side?" he asked. "I've heard you and Quinlan talk about it a whole bunch, but I don't really get what it is."

Now it was Aayla's turn to frown. How was she supposed to explain the concept of the Dark side to someone who had never touched the Force like a Jedi before?

"The Dark side is the aspect of the Force that is fueled by our worst impulses," she said eventually, drawing on her own memories of the Dark to guide her explanation. "When you use the Force out of fear, anger, or selfish desire, that is using the Dark side. If you do that too long, eventually those become the only things you can feel. It consumes you, until you think only of your own power and wants."

"So, when I used it, I was evil?" Naruto asked, sounding both confused and worried.

"No," Aayla hastened to say. "You weren't evil. Using the Dark side doesn't instantly make you evil, nor does being evil mean you use the Dark. If you had kept going though, if you had continued to draw on your anger and hatred, eventually you would have been evil. That's the great trap of the Dark side. It twists you, leading you on with promises of power, until you become someone you don't recognize; a monster."

"I've been called a monster before," Naruto said quietly.

"Whoever said that was wrong," Aayla said. "You aren't a monster Naruto. I didn't think so when you drew on the Kyuubi, and I don't think so now. I'm not going to condemn you for what you contain. You shouldn't either."

Naruto eye-smiled at her, his joy at not losing his friend shining like a beacon in the Force. She smiled back and gave him a hug. He was making progress, she mused. His grief was still powerful, and probably would be for some time, but she was confident he would be alright. And the council would help him, she would make sure of that.

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The second dramatic moment was, thankfully, less serious. It was actually a series of moments that came when Naruto and Jiraiya demonstrated some of the techniques they could perform using chakra. Despite having already seen some of their abilities, including a sealing scroll and a Rasengan, Aayla and Quinlan were still left astonished at some of what the shinobi could do with their odd usage of the Force.

They were both able to independently confirm that what Naruto and Jiraiya called chakra was a form of Force usage, but one unlike any either had ever felt or heard of. Quinlan thought it most resembled the ways of the Matukai, with their focus on using the Force to enhance their own bodies, but taken much further. The Force was tied up within their bodies to a degree Quinlan had never thought possible, but he was not an experienced enough sensor to figure out exactly how it worked, or how to replicate it.

Both he and his Padawan were fascinated by watching it, however.

Aayla was especially interested in the elemental ninjutsu Jiraiya displayed. In a cleared out room, he demonstrated a small fireball and a small suiton jutsu. Aayla was fascinated by the ability to not only alter the physical world with this Force discipline, but also to create solid matter for a time.

Quinlan found the sealing arts to be the more interesting branch of study Jiraiya demonstrated. The ability to warp space and reality using arcane symbols imbued with the Force was a legendary skill amongst the Jedi, but such knowledge had been all but lost over the millennia. To see it now, performed with such speed and ease, made Quinlan more determined than ever to convince the Jedi Council to help these two displaced shinobi find a fresh start. Alienating people with access to this knowledge would be stupid, as well as morally wrong.

One major talent that Jiraiya refused to demonstrate while on the ship was summoning. When Quinlan explained the basics of how hyperspace travel worked, Jiraiya decided it would be far too risky to try and summon a toad during flight. He did not know if the summoning would be affected by the quasi-sub spatial nature of hyperspace flight, but he wasn't willing to risk it.

For their part, Naruto and Jiraiya were most impressed by the two Jedi's sensory abilities. Jiraiya estimated that, based on their claims regarding their powers, Aayla and Quinlan had greater sensory prowess than even the finest sensor type shinobi. He was further impressed when he heard that their skills were not considered especially rare amongst the Jedi.

As time passed and the time of their arrival on Coruscant drew closer, both groups became eager to get to the capital planet. Aayla and Quinlan were eager to share these new and exciting discoveries with the Jedi Council, as well as to see about getting their new friends help with their unique situation. Naruto and Jiraiya were equally eager to hear what the Jedi Council had to say about what had happened to them, and what would happen next. Neither truly held out hope that the Council would be able to send them home, but they were hopeful that the Jedi Order Quinlan and Aayla had told them so much about would be able to help them find a new home in the galaxy.

Naruto was also excited to meet new people. The past few weeks had served to dull the ache of his loss somewhat, thanks in no small part to Aayla and Jiraiya's continued efforts to cheer him up. As such, much of his natural enthusiasm and friendliness had returned. It was a fragile thing, easily turned to melancholy, but it was a far cry from the mess he had been when he first had come aboard. The prospect of meeting a whole new group of potential friends was enough to have him nearly vibrating with anticipation. As the hour of their arrival approached, he began mentally compiling all of the questions he wanted to ask the Jedi Masters who he had heard so much about.

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If done properly, a ship dropping out of hyperspace is not an especially dramatic affair. There is generally a slight change in the tone of the engines, and a sense of the sudden lack of a vibration you weren't truly aware of until it stopped. Beyond that, nothing. An exciting exit from hyperspace usually means that something expensive probably needs repairing.

For those aboard the unnamed Consular-class cruiser that had just dropped out of hyperspace in orbit above Coruscant however, the event felt very dramatic indeed. It represented different things to each of them, but they all felt the same sense of relief upon arriving at the Republic capital.

For Vek, it represented the end of one of the most difficult navigation challenges of his entire life. He was eager to return to his job of scouting new hyperlanes in the Outer Rim.

For Quinlan and Aayla, it represented the successful completion of the most stressful mission they had been on since regaining their memories more than a year ago. It was a chance for them to return to the peace and tranquility of the Temple for a time.

For Naruto and Jiraiya, it represented the next step on their journey into this new, much larger world. It was also the first truly alien world either of them had ever seen, let alone visited. As it loomed large in the viewport, they both found themselves holding their breath.

The planet glowed silver and orange as it hung in space. City lights seemed to form a spider web across the surface. Both of them had heard about the ecumenoplis, but seeing it was an entirely different matter. For two people from a time when a city of 250,000 people was considered huge, seeing a city that covered an entire planet kilometers deep was rather overwhelming.

After a moment spent staring at the city world, Quinlan moved over to the nearby communicator. A few button presses later, and a small hologram of Yoda appeared in the air above it.

"Knight Vos, good to see you safe, it is. A success your mission was?"

"Yes Master Yoda," Quinlan said respectfully. "My Padawan and I have identified the cause of the disturbance in the Force. I am transmitting my report now."

"Mmm, done well you have. And yet, I sense that more, there is, you wish to say."

"Yes master. I encountered two beings while on Tython. They need…assistance. I believe the council will want to speak to them immediately. It concerns my mission."

Yoda was silent for a moment after that. His ears twitched back and forth slightly, before he nodded.

"Always willing to offer help, a Jedi should be. If so important this is, then convene the Council I shall. Your new companions, to the Temple bring them."

"Yes master. I'll have Vek bring the ship to the temple docking bay as soon as we get clearance," Quinlan said, before ending the transmission.

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Even with their Jedi clearance codes, it still took the better part of an hour for Quinlan to get approval to land. Coruscant had the busiest skies in the galaxy, after all. An hour long wait was actually considered fairly quick for a non-emergency request. As such, by the time they landed at the Temple docking bay, someone had already arrived to greet them.

"Return to us, the brave explorers have, hmm."

"Master Yaddle," Quinlan said with shock. "I did not expect to see you here. I had heard you were with Kenobi and Skywalker on Mawan."

"There, I was," Yaddle said. "Here, I am now."

Before she could say anything further, her attention shifted behind Quinlan. There Naruto and Jiraiya stood in silence, looking around with barely concealed awe. Over the four week journey from Tython, the pain of their loss had subsided a little. Enough for them to begin to take in the wonders this new future offered, rather than dwell only on the things it no longer held.

Everywhere they glanced there was some new ship, or some strange alien they had only seen pictures of from Teach's archives. They recognized some of them, a Rodian, a Togruta, and a few Duros. Others were a mystery to them.

They at least recognized Master Yaddle. Jiraiya had asked to know who exactly was on the Jedi Council they were meeting, and Quinlan had agreed to tell him. Naruto had been encouraged to memorize their faces and names as well.

Their gawking was interrupted by Aayla, whose path they had inadvertently blocked. She smirked at their dumbfounded expressions, before giving both of them a sharp prod in the ribs.

"Gah!" Naruto yelped. "Aayla, what was that for?"

"So you two would stop just standing there and go greet Master Yaddle. You shouldn't keep her waiting. And remember to speak Basic."

Pouting somewhat beneath his mask, Naruto walked down the ramp, Jiraiya close behind him. When he reached the bottom he gave a small bow, remembering the extensive lecture Jiraiya had given him on manners after the incident with Fukasaku.

"Hello Master Yaddle," he said in heavily accented Basic. "My name Naruto, and this Jiraiya."

They had decided before landing that Naruto would handle introductions. His occasional lack of manners aside, he was somewhat better at speaking Basic than his godfather.

Yaddle noticed the masked boy's thick accent and slightly stilted words.

"Fluent in Basic you are not," she said kindly. "Translate for you I will, so you may speak freely."

"Teach say practice as much as can," Naruto replied, before wincing. That had definitely not been polite. Still, Yaddle only chuckled a little.

"Mmm, a good thing, practice is. But now is not the time for it. A day for doing, today is. Now, to the council chambers we must go."

With that she turned and walked off, gesturing for them to follow her. Naruto decided that he liked the strange little green lady, and eagerly rushed to catch up with her. Drawing level with her, he began to ask some of the seemingly endless questions that sprang to his mind. The rest of the group could only watch with a mix of embarrassed amusement as he interrogated the kind Jedi Master.

Yaddle herself found the rapid fire questioning endearing. She answered each as best she could, and watched as the masked boy's eyes seemed to shine with delight as he slaked his curiosity. His presence in the Force was like a storm of positivity. It swirled and crackled with uncontrolled happiness and a strong sense of hope.

Beneath that though, Yaddle could sense pain. He was mourning a great loss, and he was afraid of what came next. Understandable, if Quinlan's report was accurate. Many Jedi would look down on such raw emotion, but Yaddle took a different view. Grief and fear were perfectly natural responses to what this child had been through. He was not letting them control him though, at least not now. His sparkling eyes and almost glowing optimism told her that. Besides, the boy had not received Jedi training; it would be unfair to judge him by Jedi standards.

As she satisfied Naruto's curiosity, Yaddle examined his presence in the Force more deeply. She could sense the strangely tangled nature of the Force within his body, much as Vos had reported, but she was able to discern more than him. She could feel that the Force was somehow being integrated directly into his body's own organic energies, though she could not say to what extent. She would need to ask Yoda to look into it.

She also looked for any trace of the Dark side in Naruto's presence, particularly this 'Kyuubi' being that was supposedly sealed within him. To her immense relief, she found only slight traces consistent with the accidental brush he had had with the Dark side a month ago. There was an interesting knot of Force energy in his abdomen, presumably the seal Quinlan had reported, but it seemed a nigh impenetrable barrier. She could feel nothing of what was inside it, and only the tiny spurts of raw Force power that it emitted every few seconds gave an indication of what it might contain.

When Yaddle had first read Quinlan's report an hour ago, she had been intensely curious about these newcomers. To her, they represented a chance to revitalize the Jedi Order, and perhaps correct what she saw as mistakes they had made in the past. In recent decades, Yaddle had begun to see a worrying trend in the Order; a trend towards rigidity and arrogance that did not sit well with her. Qui-Gon's death, and Dooku's subsequent departure, had driven home for her the need for change. She had been stymied in her attempts up to now, but perhaps these two would provide her with the chance she needed. Eventually, during one of the breaks in the constant stream of questions, she asked one of her own.

"Your mask, why wear it do you?"

Naruto paused for a moment, and the light in his eyes dimmed a bit. Clearly this topic brought up some painful memories. Still, Yaddle waited patiently for an answer. She had already asked the question, and trying to take it back now would be both pointless and embarrassing for the boy.

"I…wear it to honor one of my first teachers," Naruto said eventually. "He always used to wear one. He said it was a tradition in his clan. When he gave me this, he said he believed I was worthy of representing him and his clan out in the world."

"A heavy burden, for one so young, that is," Yaddle said.

"I can handle it," Naruto said defensively, before looking away, embarrassed at having been rude again.

"Sorry. It's just- not a lot of people believed in me back in my village. But Kakashi-sensei always did. He taught me a lot, and I want to honor that and remember his lessons."

"Apology accepted," Yaddle said calmly. "Wisdom there is in your words, young Naruto. But care you should take, that hold you back the past does not. Serve as the soil you grow in, it should, not as weights tied around your neck."

Naruto didn't know what to make of that. He thought Yaddle might be saying something important, but he had no idea what it meant. Dismissing it from his mind, he resumed his questions. They continued, unabated, until Yaddle stopped them outside the door to the council chambers.

"Arrived we have. Ready, are you?" she asked.

Naruto looked back at Jiraiya. The sage stepped forward and put his hand on his godson's shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze.

"We're ready," he said. There was no point in delaying things. The only way to go was forward.

Nodding, Yaddle opened the door and led them into the council chamber. She swiftly crossed the room and took her usual seat across from the door. The rest of them stood in the center of the ring of chairs, waiting to be addressed.

They didn't have to wait long. As soon as Yaddle had gotten situated, Mace Windu began to speak.

"Before we begin," the formidable master said, "Is there anything you would like to add to your report, Quinlan? It seemed to be missing several key details, I assume deliberately."

"Yes master, I left out two things," Quinlan replied. "The first were the names of my companions here. This is Naruto Uzumaki and his godfather Jiraiya. They were involved in the disturbance we all felt. They are also the two whom I told Master Yoda needed the Order's help."

"And what manner of help do they require?" asked Plo Koon. The Kel-Dor Master leaned forward in his chair, examining the two shinobi.

"That leads into the second thing I left out of my report, Master Plo," said Quinlan. "The means by which these two ended up on Tython. So far as I can tell, they traveled forward through time from 50,000 years ago."

A surprised mutter ran through the room at that. Plo Koon leaned back, and several of the masters frowned. Even Piell even let out a surprised cough. Mace Windu merely stared flatly at Vos, skepticism written in every line of his face.

"Time travel," he said. "How exactly did you come to that conclusion?"

Quinlan had been ready for that question, though. He told the Council the entirety of Naruto and Jiraiya's story. The two shinobi chimed in regularly, clarifying aspects of their history and culture. Everything from their past actions as shinobi, to their experience being pulled into the future, to the tachyon scans Archie had taken. At that last one, he produced a copy of the scan results from his robe, passing them to Master Eeth Koth for inspection.

Another science droid was summoned to the tower, where it performed the scans again to verify the results. All the while, Yoda sat silently in his chair, staring at the two shinobi as if deep in thought. He was only shaken out of his reverie when Master Koth somewhat astonishedly declared both sets of scans as identical. The two were most definitely from the past.

"Hmm, most unusual this is. What help was it that this council would provide, did you hope?"

It took Jiraiya a second to decipher Yoda's unusual speech patterns, but Naruto had grown used to them during the walk with Yaddle. As such, he spoke up first.

"Can you send us back?" he asked. "Please, we just want to go home."

Yoda very slowly shook his head.

"Sorry, I am, for your plight. But a way to send you back, there is not," he answered sadly. He could see some disappointment in the boy's eyes, but no shock. It seemed Naruto had been prepared for such an answer.

"We have only fragmented rumors and speculation on time travel," Yarael Poof said. "The journals of Gnost-Dural mentions stories of ancient devices for such, but only says that they had long since been lost or destroyed by his time."

"I see," Jiraiya said as he placed a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Thank you, for at least hearing us out I suppose."

"I believe it is time someone addressed the biggest concern in your report," Depa Bilaba said. "This Dark side entity that is supposedly sealed into the boy. Please, tell us more about that."

In this, Quinlan deferred to Naruto and Jiraiya. They told the tale of what the Kyuubi was, how it came to be sealed into Naruto, and the various risks and benefits it carried. Quinlan and Aayla chimed in with their own experiences and impressions from time to time, giving their thoughts on the matter.

"Hrrm, most unusual this is," Yoda said. "Allow me, will you, to examine this seal? Curious I am, how such a thing works."

Jiraiya glanced down at Naruto, who shrugged. He didn't know what risks might be involved, so he was leaving it up to his godfather.

"So long as I can monitor what you're doing, I suppose that would be fine," Jiraiya said cautiously. "But if I tell you to stop what you're doing, you will stop. Or I will stop you. Understood."

Several of the Masters bristled at Jiraiya's threatening tone, but Yoda merely nodded his agreement. There had been no true malice behind the words. Just protectiveness, and a genuine concern for everyone's safety. The old Master watched intently as Naruto exposed his stomach and seemed to concentrate. He felt the Force move in a very strange way, and then an intricate design faded into view across the boy's abdomen.

Yoda spent several minutes examining the seal, both with his eyes and with his Force senses. He felt much the same thing that Yaddle had, an impenetrable web of the Force, regularly emitting small bursts of power into the boy's own Force presence. Finally, after nearly ten minutes of examination, Yoda pulled back.

"Understand this seal fully, I do not," he said. "But secure it is. Very secure."

"Are you truly suggesting we just leave such an entity in the boy," Tiin said, clearly shocked at the idea.

"Read the report, you did, yes?" Yaddle asked, a bit sharply. "Removing this 'Kyuubi', kill Naruto it would. Felt the seal myself I did as well. Agree with Yoda I do. In this case, doing nothing, the safest path it is."

Tiin lapsed into silence at that. He may not have liked the idea of leaving such dangerous power in the hands of a child, but he was hardly going to advocate killing the boy just to satisfy his concerns.

Only Mace noticed how Jiraiya had subtly tensed when Tiin had made his comment, as well as how he had relaxed when Yaddle had responded. Clearly the man was highly protective of his godson, as well as quite confident in his skills to be ready to fight the full Council. Reaching out with his own senses, Mace could see why. Jiraiya was immensely powerful, with a calm, controlled assuredness about him that spoke to a commensurate level of skill. Clearly, this was not a man to trifle with, Mace thought. He was shaken from his thoughts by Jiraiya's voice.

"Is that it, or did you have more questions?" he asked.

"I would be interested in seeing some of your abilities with the Force," Yarael Poof said, much to general agreement. "From the report, they sound quite fascinating."

Jiraiya was somewhat impatient with this, but Naruto was never one to avoid a chance to show off what he could do. As such, they spent most of the next two hours giving demonstrations and answering questions on their powers. Much like with Quinlan, the Council seemed most interested in Jiraiya's skill in sealing. It seemed that was one of the few skills the Jedi did not have even a vague analogue for, at least not anymore.

The other bit that the Council found particularly fascinating was when Jiraiya had Naruto summon Gamakichi. The young toad seemed to take the new environment in stride, though he was somewhat stunned at seeing so many alien species. Mace and Yoda found the concept of a summoning contract rather disturbing at first, worrying that it may be some form of slavery. A swift conversation with Gamakichi served to dispel those worries though. Jiraiya was just glad that he hadn't had to summon Shima or Fukasaku. He did not yet trust the Jedi so much he would show all of his trump cards.

Finally, after a long series of questions, Yoda decided he had seen enough.

"Thank you, for your patience with us, I do," he said. "Tired and hungry you must be. Escort you to a dining hall, Padawan Secura will. Your situation, difficult it is. Debate we will, on how best to help you. Signal you we will when options for you, we have. Decide on what you wish to do, then you will."

Jiraiya wasn't thrilled with the thought of not being present when the Council was debating, but he wasn't about to make a stink about it. For one, he was hungry, and so was Naruto. For another, he understood them not wanting to talk about their fate with them in the room. So he simply inclined his head respectfully, and guided Naruto out of the room behind Aayla.

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As the door closed once more, Yoda turned to Quinlan.

"Your opinion of them, what is it?" the old master asked.

"I think they're good people," Quinlan said immediately.

"They come from a culture of spies and assassins," Saesee Tiin objected. "They even admitted to multiple crimes under Republic law."

"But they weren't under Republic law, Master Tiin," Quinlan protested. "I'm not defending their culture, but both of them were adamant that they were trying to change the system and bring peace to their world."

"And you believe this, do you," Tiin asked, his voice somewhat disdainful.

"Yes, I do. I am very good at knowing when I am being lied to. Neither of them were lying to me. Do you doubt my skills, or is it my word you don't believe?"

"Enough," Yoda said sharply. "In doubt, neither your skills nor honesty are, Knight Vos."

"In your report, you mention the boys tapped into the Dark side during the battle. That led him to nearly losing himself to this 'Kyuubi' he has sealed in him," Depa Bilaba said. "You stand by your assessment, even after that display?"

"I do," Vos replied. "My Padawan and I are living proof that a brush with the Dark side does not automatically corrupt you. Naruto had just lost his entire world, and was then thrown into a battle. How can we judge him for acting out of anger when he was never taught a different way? Neither of them were ever given Jedi training."

"From the report, it says the boy regained control as soon as he woke up, and immediately saved Padawan Secura's life," Eeth Koth said. "He also expressed regret for his loss of control, and determination never to allow it to happen again. I believe Quinlan's assessment of his character is accurate."

"Padawan Secura is perhaps the best empath currently in the Order," Adi Gallia said. "She also has more experience with the Dark side than even most of us here. If she says that Naruto was not tainted by his brush with the Darkness, then I do not believe we should doubt her."

"Agree also, I do," Yoda said. "Sense them both we all did. Not evil were they. Hurt and mourning, yes. But evil? This I do not believe."

"That will be all, Knight Vos," Mace Windu said. "You may join your Padawan to eat."

Quinlan bowed and walked out of the room. He knew he was being dismissed so that he would not get into another argument with Tiin. Even so, he was grateful that Yoda had backed him up. It was nice to know that the wise Grandmaster had faith in him. It was also nice to be allowed to eat. He was starving.

"I agree with Knight Vos," said Plo Koon when the door had closed, surprising many there. The Kel-Dor master was known for his strict, almost black and white view of justice.

"They have broken no Republic laws," he continued. "We have no authority to punish them for things that happened 50,000 years ago. They struck me as good people making the best of the world they had. I believe we should give them a chance to make the best of this one as well."

There was a general nodding of agreement to this. Even Saesee Tiin reluctantly conceded the point. If Plo Koon was willing to look past their actions as shinobi, then he felt he could too.

"The issue of their character aside, we still have the question of what to do with them," Mace Windu said.

"We cannot simply give them transport and send them on their way," said Yarael Poof. "They know nearly nothing of the galaxy. They would starve, or else be forced into crime."

"There is also the matter of their powers," said Adi Gallia. "They both are powerful Force users, with highly unusual abilities. If the Sith were to somehow capture them, those abilities could be used against us, or worse, the Republic. That isn't even touching on what might happen if that entity gets free."

"Their powers could also be of great value to the Republic," Poof responded. "There are dark days ahead, and some of their techniques could save many lives if used properly."

"Indeed," Yoda said. "Important to the future, both of them are. See them in my vision, I did. Allow them to fall to the Sith, we cannot. Not just for their sakes, but for the whole Republic. Unending darkness I sense, if the Sith gain control of them."

There was a long pause after that. All of the masters contemplated the problem at hand. It was after nearly a five minutes of silence that Yaddle spoke up.

"If into Sith hands we cannot let them fall, then a solution I may have," she said slowly.

"What do you suggest?" asked Mace.

"Train them as Jedi, we could. Teach them how to use the Force, how to recognize the Dark we could. Strong are they in the Force. The boy especially. If into the Order we bring them, then away from the Sith they would be."

Her suggestion was met with a number of reactions. Most present dismissed it almost instantly. Plo Koon and Yarael Poof were unreadable. Mace was frowning slightly, but did not immediately nix the idea. Yoda, however, looked contemplative.

"They are too old," said Tiin. "And the boy is far too emotional."

"Training them would risk them falling to the Dark side," added Oppo Rancisis.

"Always present, that risk is, for every being we train," retorted Yaddle. "No different are these two. As to their age, too old was Skywalker. Too old was I. Too old was Yoda. Too much weight to age, this Order gives."

"We would still be giving them dangerous skills. If they were to fall…" Piell trailed off.

"They already have dangerous skills," said Plo Koon. "By Quinlan's report, Jiraiya would be a match for most of us here. Naruto is already the equal of many Padawans. Training them would not make them more of a threat than they could already become. It would merely show them a different path."

"It sounds as if you are actually considering this," Tiin said, shocked. "Think of the damage they could do if they fell."

"Think of the damage they could do now," Plo responded. "At the very least, training them as Jedi would let them recognize the Dark side and avoid it."

While the Council continued to debate the idea back and forth, Yoda and Mace stayed silent, both deep in contemplation. Yoda was thinking on his vision. The two shinobi were vitally important to the future of both the Jedi Order and the Republic. That much he was certain of. Their arrival had already changed things. Yaddle's suggestion however, flew in the face of every tradition the Jedi had established in the last thousand years. Naruto, and most certainly Jiraiya, were far too old to be trained. They were emotional and attached, and their 'jutsu' flirted with the Dark side.

Despite this, the image of young Skywalker sprang unbidden to his mind. That boy also had been too old, too emotional, too attached. He had been filled with fear and anger, both paths to the Dark side. Yet Qui-Gon had supported him until his last breath, and now look. Six years later, and the boy had become a passable Padawan, no closer to falling than he had been at the age of nine. Indeed, he seemed determined to stay in the light, and had a promising future ahead of him. His training was far from complete, but if Yoda was being honest with himself, he was progressing very well.

Had he been wrong to oppose Skywalker's training? Yoda found himself reluctant to admit the possibility, but it seemed unavoidable. As he re-examined his decisions, he found something he did not like.

Fear.

Fear and pride.

The same emotions he had so often criticized Skywalker for, he found within himself now. When had those crept in? The fear of taking even the slightest risk on a potentially promising child, and the pride keeping him from admitting his mistake, even to himself. It seemed some serious self-reflection was in order. He suspected he would not entirely like what he found.

Putting that aside for the moment, he tried to catch a glimpse of the future. The Dark side had yet to fully return to its previous levels, so he was optimistic of seeing at least something. It was murky, but after a few patient minutes, he was able to discern a sense of rightness, of Light even, around the idea of bringing Naruto and Jiraiya into the Jedi Order. He would need to meditate for a clearer glimpse, but the brief sensation was enough for now.

Mace, meanwhile, was thinking about Naruto. He had never seen so many shatterpoints clustered around a single being before. They clung to the boy so thick they were like a fog. Whatever he did in the future, Mace was sure he would change the galaxy. Mace very much wanted to ensure that that change was a positive one.

That wasn't the biggest thing that interested him about the boy, though. What truly had him thinking was what he had felt when he first sensed Naruto's Force presence. He had felt it call out to him, and he had felt his own power respond. It was a sensation Mace had felt several times before, but one he had never imagined he would feel with someone like Naruto.

It had been the beginning of a Padawan bond. The Force, it seemed, was pushing him to take the boy as his apprentice. Mace normally did his best to follow the will of the Force, but here there was a problem. Naruto was not a Jedi Initiate. He was not eligible to be taken as a Padawan. And yet, here was Yaddle, a being whose wisdom he felt was equaled only by Yoda's, suggesting that the boy and his godfather be trained as Jedi, in violation of all tradition.

The Force had never led Mace astray, not once. He did not believe it was even possible for it to lead him astray, and he did not believe it was leading him astray now. This path was risky, he knew that, but the Korrun Jedi was hardly a stranger to risk. His mind made up, he traded a significant glance with Yoda. It was time to make their opinion known to the Council.

"Agree with Master Yaddle I do," said Yoda, silencing the ongoing debate. "Too much weight on age, this council puts. Too risky, you say it is. Too dangerous. Ruled by our fear, are we?"

"But master, you opposed Anakin Skywalker being trained," Oppo Rancisis pointed out.

"Wrong was I to do so. A powerful Jedi, Skywalker is shaping up to be. Emotional, yes. Unconventional, yes. But many great Jedi, unconventional they have been. Judge him too harshly then I did. Let my fear rule me, I did. Allow it to rule me now, I will not," Yoda said emphatically.

"I also agree with Master Yaddle," Mace broke in. "The Force wills that I should take Naruto as my Padawan learner. The boy is surrounded by shatterpoints. His destiny will likely shape the Republic. I would see that that destiny is guided by the Jedi rather than the Sith."

"While searching the Force for guidance, a sense I received, that the right path this is. Serve the will of the Force, this action would," Yoda said.

"Training those two would go against all our traditions. Traditions that have served us for 1000 years," Tiin protested.

"And yet the Sith have returned," said Yarael Poof. "They have lurked unseen beneath our noses for all of those 1000 years, causing who knows how much pain and suffering. Now, they feel confident enough to act openly, revealing their existence. So, have those traditions truly served us well? Or have they, perhaps, blinded us? The Ruusan Reform was 1000 years ago. Even if it was the right decision at the time, are we truly going to act as if we need never change again? That strikes me as a road to destruction."

There was silence at that. None of the masters knew how to answer those questions. The idea of 1000 years of tradition having been a mistake was not something any of them wished to consider. Still, the facts Yarael brought up sat there like mountains; tough to ignore, and difficult to get around.

Finally, after several minutes of quiet pondering, Mace broke the silence.

"Let us put it to a vote," he said. "Further debate will get us nowhere."

One by one the masters cast their vote as to whether or not the two time travelers would be trained. In the end, only Saesee Tiin, Even Piell, and Oppo Rancisis voted nay. The result was clear. Naruto and Jiraiya would be offered a chance to become Jedi. Now the only issue left to debate was how to go about doing that.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

There we go. Another somewhat longer chapter, although I'm beginning to think that a lot of my chapters may be closer to this length than my original 5000 word goal. Writing the Council is a bit of a slog, but I think I managed to give a somewhat reasonable justification for them accepting Naruto and Jiraiya. I wanted to portray the Council, and the Jedi in general, as being stiff, hypocritical, arrogant, and reactionary, but not as evil or heartless. The Jedi were a group of fundamentally good beings, for the most part, mired in their own self-importance and grandeur.

Next chapter should be up sometime within the next week or so. See you then.