SHGS - Chapter Fifteen: Another Beginning

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"Thoughts"

"Speech"

"Abnormal sentient thoughts"

"Abnormal sentient speech"

- Darklighter

Yugakure

"Konohamaru. Stop doing that. You know you're breaking my concentration," Naruto said.

They were in the shrubbery by one of the many hot springs to be found in Yugakure. Konohamaru had brought him to the space after a day of eating and rest at Ichiraku's bustling establishment.

"I'm bored and this is actually taking pretty long," Konohamaru said. He hadn't been lying when he told Naruto that he did not have much to teach him but the boy was surprisingly able with transformation techniques, and as Naruto sat squat legged and tried to access his rusty chakra pathways Konohamaru paraded before him wearing the endless forms of voluptuous and nude women.

"Do it already," he had taken a blond female form that bore an uncanny resemblance to the NCO, "It was the first thing you learned as a kid. Remember?" cobalt pools blinked at Naruto slowly.

"I didn't expect it to be this difficult," Naruto admitted – exasperated. "You're really not helping," he said.

"Fine. Fine I'll sit," Konohamaru said. His jarring transformations came to a sudden halt and Naruto was greeted with the suspicious black orbs and dark brown locks he was used to.

"Thank you," Naruto said with feeling as the boy proved true to his word.

In truth everything was perfect for him to reconnect with this lost heritage and it was he who had not fully gauged the task set before him.

Konohamaru had picked out a gorgeous spot full of the kind of tranquility necessary for this kind of rehabilitative work, and the academy student had only started fidgeting after an hour or so of silence had elapsed.

Naruto knew what he had been doing over that hour. Horrifying work that the part of him that was still Sith knew must be kept secret. Even from his new apprentice and erstwhile teacher for while he liked the youth he was very far away from trusting him.

Years of disuse had left his chakra pathways dry and thorny. They had not even been exposed to the benefits of the pure Light-side of the Force as he was a follower of the destructive Sith path. Furthermore there was very little his learning at the feet of the Zeison Sha could do for him. Those warriors had not been renowned for their healing arts.

He did not betray it to Konohamaru but that first half hour had been pure agony as he tried to solve the problems with visceral force. Not only mixing the Force with his body energy in the special organ that all Shinobi possessed – the very same organ that set them apart from the baseline human population – but also forcing it to trickle into his chakra network. His organ had rebelled against this sudden use and it was at this point that Konohamaru began to distract him.

After the boy settled down again he gritted his teeth and settled into a deeper meditation. This was very difficult. The Sith trances Naruto was used to employing were fueled by negative emotions. He had no choice but to turn to his other heritage as well, so he did his best to enter a normal Sith state but retain a mindset closer to his Zeison Sha heritage.

For the first time, ironically, he achieved a synthesis of application that would have made his tutors in both disciplines feel proud. No matter that the sentiment would have been grudging – as if eked from a stone – coming from Traya. Now confident Naruto examined his ravaged Shinobi organ network on light mental wings.

The damage was truly extensive. His rusted chakra pathways would never bear the full load they had been destined to carry and their growth had been stunted. That was not all. Now that he had achieved a deep trance he saw something else. An unbidden flash of memory came of the time when Deimus had first taken him. He remembered the words the Dark Lord had uttered.

'I will now claim the beast,'the Dark Lord had boomed into his mind in that instant.

So Naruto followed that memory as he had been unable to do as a child – untrained and unskilled as he was then. He followed the Dark Lord's touch as the corrupted Neti reached into him and into the very same chakra networks he was trying to salvage in the presence.

His innards were a very different scene then. The paths had been twice any normal size as had been his processing organ. He could see that two types of chakra flowed within and it was because of this that his organ and accompanying network had become deformed. As it was he was only barely producing enough chakra to hold back the red torrent and it was no wonder that he had always found chakra control difficult.

He looked deeper. He looked to the point that Deimus' dark hand grasped for. It was a cage of blackness that contained the source of the vile red chakra. Whatever was contained within sent out whipping lashes of energy and it was these streams that polluted the rest of his chakra system.

Deimus ripped it out. Deimus ripped it out just as Naruto was beginning to properly study it. The Dark Lord possessed insane mental abilities because even now as Naruto was he could not pierce the veil Deimus had thrown around the memories attached to the ochre cage.

Naruto should have been able to access them. Theoretically he was so immersed in trance that he should have been able to access memories of life in his mother's womb but alas he was blocked.

He knew then that the only way to know what he had lost and who he was for sure was to rip the information out of the Dark Neti's skull.

Naruto did his best to let go of his frustration and settle back to the task at hand, but Konohamaru, observing from a seated position on a rock in the center of the hot-spring – covered in steam and with his exposed feet dipped in the water – noticed the slight twitches that threatened to break his meditative lotus. They were the twitches of a warrior who longed to reach for familiar weapons and fight.

Even as he had been trying to hunt down the cause of Deimus picking him out from a planet of Shinobi youths in the first place Naruto had been doing his best to salvage his chakra engine.

By now his pathways were all active and little pools of chakra were beginning to form at access points such as the ones on his wrists and the soles of his feet.

However the stream was painfully thin, and even at that his withered system was just managing to cope. Now that the initial panic had passed he could see that with time he would regain much of what he had lost. That was if he spent the time working diligently to exercise his engine.

But what had been lost…

What had seen lost was lost, and he would just have to make do.

It took him almost as long to come out of the trance as it had for him to fall into it. Connected as he was to the Force he felt a probably unprecedented sensation. He was awash in the power associated with the Sith and Jedi, yet through his veins flowed the ancient heritage of his people. Even though his supply was restricted he felt revitalized in a way that he couldn't believe was possible.

"It feels good doesn't it?" Konohamaru grinned. Naruto realized that his eyes had been wide open and he had been staring at the youth. It was hard to make out the boy's figure shrouded as he was with the mini-lake's steam.

"Reminds me of the first time I made my chakra start to flow. I felt unstoppable," the boy said.

"It's addictive," Naruto allowed as he clambered to his feet. He was unused to the new/old power and it made him clumsy. His limbs were stronger than they should have been and his reflexes sharper. These might sound like good things but for a warrior who relied on the prescient abilities given to him by the Force and an intimate knowledge of his own body's abilities to guide him through battle they were fairly catastrophic.

"It's going to take a while getting use to this again," he commented drily.

"Just one question," Konohamaru looked at him sidelong as Naruto made to head out of the brush by the hot-spring and into the common well of humanity that would lead them back to Ichiraku's place. The teenager stood up from his look out spot and after some well-judged skips to neighboring pond stones he took up Naruto's brisk stride.

"How come you're channeling so much wind chakra?" he asked. Naruto had been wondering how Konohamaru managed to keep his shoes on and not get his trousers wet. He noticed for the first time that the youngster wore his trousers cut short and that he favored old school open top sandals.

Because of this interesting line of enquiry – the boy would definitely have to change the footwear at the very least if he was to be attached to his troop – it took him a while to become aware of the question, and then even more time to understand that what the boy said was true, and that he did not know why that was.

"Huh?" genuine befuddlement clouded Naruto's face and for an instant he looked innocent again.

"Usually people have a base of 'normal' chakra and then they make nature chakra as they see fit. That's because you need base chakra for non-elemental Jutsu and also in case you have more than one affinity," Konohamaru said smugly, "as you are you're gonna be restricted to wind techniques… although to be honest I've never seen anyone do what you're doing. I shouldn't even be able to notice, but I guess you're still rusty when it comes to hiding you're chakra signature," he said.

"I spent some time on a desert planet," Naruto mused as they walked. "This was before I came back and not too long after I left for the first time. It's still the only world I've ever really lived on, and I think that maybe my training there changed me somehow. Probably I already had a strong Wind affinity and that just cemented it," Naruto said.

He could tell the youth was trying hard not to be impressed by this statement from the arched eyebrow directed his way. Shinobi had become obsessed with other worlds. As a cadre of fighters they were to a one curious, and coupled with their intensively secretive natures this had proved historically to be a violent recipe.

They had exited their secluded hot spring and it was light evening. This area was known for the springs and from this time onwards you never knew if you would find training Shinobi or cozened – solicited – lovers if you happened to idle through.

"I spent some time on Tatooine though," Naruto said and immediately regretted it. Tatooine was a famous planet and Konohamaru was intensely curious about the galaxy like most teenagers who had lived through times such as his.

His worst fears were realized as he watched his new student's eyes light up with cunning.

"Oh yea?" the boy drawled. Naruto was thankful that they would soon enter the crowds and have to draw their conversation to a close.

"What's that planet like then?" he asked innocently.

"It's… a desert. Like the other one," Naruto sighed and closed his eyes. "Out of the whole galaxy it seems I've chosen to spend my life in the most arid environments," he said.

He guessed it was worth it for the admission seemed to make his apprentice happy.

Terran System

Coruscanti Flagship P.D.J.O (Permanently Designated to the Jedi Order)

There is no such thing as a schematic for Flagship construction, and such things existed even for advanced vehicles such as Battle-Yachts or the vessels employed by the Media Corporations. This Flagship befitted the economic powers of the planet that had commissioned it – Coruscant. It was a vast construction that not only had a fighter compliment that could rival most designated carriers, but also carried arms, armor, and shielding to match any other vessel of its size.

The Jedi were not a very demanding bunch, but everything they needed was provided aboard the P.D.J.O Flagship. Their Ship's catering facilities and well-appointed lounges and living spaces were left for those guests they housed on occasion when they took on great roles in interstellar diplomatic affairs and currently the small delegation were all clustered in the capital ship's nerve center.

This was the first time Sasuke had seen his home system, and it was a bright one. His world Terra was the third one out of the sun. Currently their Ship and accompanying flotilla lurked near the system's largest gas giant, but they approached with speed.

He marveled at the hive of activity. The sensory arrays only went crazy when they had to track the traffic in a system like Coruscant but he could see that the Techs working on translating their data feeds had more coming to them than they had expected. To the common man's reckoning this was an unwarranted excursion to a backwater, and the Jedi lobby wasn't having an easy time of it justifying the expense to the senate.

Twinkling lights further away were not stars. Those were the vehicles of the Chiss Phalanx that was normally birthed in a nearby arid system and only came into this one to resupply or defend Terra from a common threat. Over in the southern quadrant of the rows of Pilots and Techs that governed the Capital Ship's he noted the communications people. He could not hear them for the Order's transparisteel deliberation chamber was impervious to sound – although there was a comms system – but he saw the way their mouths formed words. They, along with a 'normal' diplomat kept up a running dialogue with the Chiss and Yugakure Tower Control.

His compatriots were all about him. They were seated together as 'knights of the round table,' but all of them could detect the subtle press of rank in the Force. Most still wore their traditional robes – some had conceded to donning the pantaloons and tunic version - which while suited for battle were not meant for it. Sakura wore robes, but he and Hinata didn't – along with a scattering of some others.

The pair of them wore the uniforms given to those Jedi who took it upon themselves to serve in the army. The garments were the exact contrast of those worn by their compatriots although they were no less elegantly crafted. The armor was suited for diplomacy but not meant for it, and his was black and gray whilst hers was dark green.

They had not forgotten the ways of their people. She was a certified Terran princess whilst he… he hadn't forgotten his clan, or what had happened to them. They were under no illusions although he got the impression that the dark haired knight – who he hadn't seen for a long time – was under the impression that she was here to save her world.

As for Sasuke he still couldn't understand why he was here at all. If the order wanted him to shun the darkness then why were they making him confront it? He would much rather have been at the under-level hospice they had built back home where he knew his role as guardian and had been respected on the street. He had been doing good things there.

Sasuke had spent so long with his Padawan braid that now it was gone he kind of missed it. The thug gangs he had kept in check guarding the hospice had known of its significance but if anything this only added to his legend and that of his Master. It wasn't that he had relished their fear but he had certainly taken full advantage of it.

The Order had released him from that lowly rank conditionally – albeit on the back of his good work at the hospice, but even then it did not help that he followed the same sect as absent Master Orton and used Force Lightning, or that on a couple of occasions he had committed acts that some may consider... questionable, but to him were logical and well within the framework of Jedi decorum.

The way it was put to him it would not be good for his people to cop that he was not even a full Knight and yet was appointed to them as an Ambassador. The whole thing would have been an even bigger joke.

"Are we all ready?" Mistress Pav Qeral asked politely. Sakura's Master was absent just like his. Whilst Orton preferred to be at the thick of 'real diplomacy' it was hard to pull Sakura's Ithorian Master away from his government sponsored research facility. After all these years he still did not know the greenish-brown being's name, and he wasn't quite sure that Sakura did either.

Slowly the Jedi conveyed their preparedness to the Mistress either with subtle gestures or soft words. Sasuke did the same although he saw the slight frown that entered Hinata's features. According to the Council the three of them had been made joint Ambassadors for this mission and as such one of them should have called the session to order after they had judged the individual Jedi to have completed their introspections.

She had quite deliberately not seated herself to the left of her Mistress in the customary position of former apprentices who were not yet Masters themselves, but it would seem that more would have to be done to get the rest of them to take her feelings seriously.

Out of all of them Sakura seemed overwhelmed by the eminent position given to them and it made her timid – whilst he was cynical concerning the whole thing. However it seemed that Hinata was prepared to fight the battle that they both shied away from. It was funny but the girl who he had remembered as being so shy was determined not to be a puppet.

"We think that we should brief you on our people and their customs before we make first contact," Hinata improvised glancing at him and at Sakura for support. He smiled at quickly muted expressions of shock that clouded the faces of some of his fellow Jedi. In normal circumstances her forthrightness was a breach of protocol – especially as she was wresting control from her former Mistress – but then again her Mistress was a part of the Council that had chosen to make her an ambassador.

"I hardly think its proper for -" Lovett Alcatraz began to speak, but Sakura cut him off mid-sentence.

"We also have some expectations as to how our world will function now that they are a part of the galaxy," she said smoothly. Sasuke who knew her better than most may have been able to tell that she was uneasy with the executive power that had apparently been given to them, but she had the Jedi poise the Order itself had instilled in her and words were cool.

Amusingly there had been a time when Sasuke had begun to suspect that she held feelings for the painfully handsome scholar but that seemed to have passed. At that time the situation had inspired weird sensations in him, and now he had ruefully come to realize that it was easy to be aloof when you had a legion of fan-girls. If the sole survivor threatened to leave your side you might just become jealous… or come to a realization.

Sasuke decided that he couldn't leave them fending for themselves. None of the higher ranked Jedi had uttered a word and some of them – such as Hinata's Mistress – had not betrayed any emotion whatsoever, but they looked at the girls intently and even he who had not yet said a word was not spared those piercing glances.

It dawned on him that his classmates had inspired a sort of informal hearing. In truth they were all acting as if they had to justify the appointment that had been given to them, and why their words should be heeded.

He understood Hinata's purpose. At the very least she wanted to know where they really stood, for only then could they give their all. He decided to be blunt. The other Jedi expected it of him anyway – just as they expected it from his Master.

"To be honest the Terran's will immediately see through our ploy if we are to be ambassadors in name only," he said looking directly at Pav. "If we are to truly lead then maybe the rest of you should pay attention to what Hinata and Sakura have to say…" this was a bit strong, and from the outraged expressions that greeted his words he knew that he had to tone it down a bit with some humility. "I confess that I have not given much thought to the literature provided to us, and I am sure that whatever they have drawn from that dossier and their memories of life in Konoha can provide us all with some guidance," he said.

"Very well," Mistress Pav Qeral finally spoke again. "We shall listen to the presentations of Knight AmbassadorsHinata and Sakura although I am sure that many of us have surmised what they have to say from our deep study of the literature provided," she glanced at Sasuke and the hint of a smile played on her lips.

"However I want us to remember the pertinent fact at all times. The Sith have infiltrated this planet, and the order hasn't faced one of their ilk in a hundred and fifty years. The priority as always is the purification of the galaxy, and under no circumstances can that Order be allowed to flourish once more. Hinata," she gestured at her former Padawan. With that motion she left no one in doubt as to who was in charge. "You may proceed."

Yugakure

He was getting used to having Konohamaru besides him and he was driven to distraction by the news he had just received so Naruto paid him very little mind.

The boy strode by his side as they headed to from Ichiraku's to the thoroughfare that divided the city. Public transportation Speeders zipped to the outer ring which housed all its contracted Shinobi, and back to the center. Usually Naruto preferred to walk but the situation called for haste.

He was pondering his options so deeply that he took no note of the pleasant sunshine and was no longer amazed by the Wind Chakra that now flowed through his veins constantly. It had only been three days since he had taken his new apprentice under wing.

Naruto's face was scrunched with consternation because of the news he had received from Karin over his comm. It would deceitful to say it was news, for there were two distinct but related events that were to cut short his sabbatical.

The first piece of news was the arrival of the Jedi envoy flotilla in system. All of a sudden Terran space was cramped as the protective Chiss fleet in a nearby desolate system warped in, and jostled for room in the vacuum with Terra's own naval forces and those that approached from the core worlds.

The second item was related to him. It was related to his immediate promotion to the rank of Captain, and his being summoned to Council Chamber without delay.

"I need you to go find my Ship. It's on a hill berth and you can't miss it. Hanger oh-two-three," Naruto said to Konohamaru.

'Where are you going to be going," the boy said. "Abandoning me already?" despite himself the lad was beginning to draw close to the former NCO who treated him as if he were one of his soldiers. He wasn't comfortable leaving his side, nor was he ok with meeting the grizzled troop Naruto had regaled him with stories about without his new commander.

"You'll be fine they don't eat human kids," Naruto read him. "Besides I already let Karin know that you will be coming and I gave you my comm line right?"

"Yea," Konohamaru said hesitantly. A Speeder bus going in the right direction was rapidly approaching.

"I guess I'll see you later then," he said.

"Good. I'll call for you. I can't have you meet the council looking like a scruffy academy student. Someone from the camp will outfit you properly and then you can join up with me ok?" Naruto said.

"Oh!" Konohamaru brightened. He had thought that he would be separated from the powerful Force user for an extended period of time.

"Alright sir," he said as the speeder came to a halt on silent and efficient repulse-lifts. "See you when I see you."

He watched as the boy left his side. The rapid transport would soon take him to into the hills that ringed the city's vales and hot-springs. He himself would walk because his destination was not so far. It was about fifteen minutes to the city center and after that he would find an armed escort to take him in to meet the council.

Naruto kept up a brisk pace and it was not long before that short span had elapsed. He had paid little heed to the evolving faces set before him – although it was still somewhat jarring even to him to see alien merchant tourists scouring the market districts and haggling over technology imports and rare mineral exports in the discreet and shaded cafes.

The babble that assailed his ears was mostly of native origin although Basic was quickly assuming its scientifically designed role in society as intergalactic trading language. Already some of that inorganic tongue had seeped into the argot of his people.

He was soon in the governmental districts and here the public transportation network gave way to private vehicles. High ranked diplomats from the Elemental Nations were present in their proper portions. Over there the fat water country representative is gorging himself in the eatery and by the side the nerdy Lightning envoy perusing the day's news on a shaded bench.

This area was dotted with sprawling parks to accompany the miniature network of springs that formed at the heart of the Land of Hot Water's valleys. To be sure pollution was beginning to creep in from the vast industrial and fusion works that had begun to spring up in the countryside beyond the encampment hills. Naruto's trained nose could sense the stench.

But the glossy high-rises that ringed this area designated it as one for the wealthy and the streets were clean. There were a plethora of Speeders for hire and he selected one without haste. It was one that was marked out for use by Shinobi only for it was usually they who had business within this part of town and yet did not have the funds or proclivity towards acquiring one for themselves. It was said that old man Ōnoki hired one to this day to take him from his private quarters to the Council room when he was in town. He hired one till this day and did not follow the lead of Awho had the most ostentatious lurid yellow ride imaginable.

At all hours of the day there was congestion here. There was an exclusive highway that could take residents and visitors directly to and from the airport and the traffic this brought as Shinobi's returning from their missions had to pass through the Council Tower for their commanders to debrief was horrifying.

Naruto had experienced it from the other side as a surly NCO waiting for Asuma and Shikamaru to conclude their reports and return, and wondering why the rest of the sizeable troop had to wait for them in the first place, but now he witnessed it from the point of view of a city center native. The going was slower than when he had been walking and he almost growled in frustration.

"How much longer?" he asked the cab driver curtly.

"Once we get through this bit we'll be there," the dark haired woman replied confidently. She was one of those who had embraced the new reality eagerly and she took much pleasure in her simple job. From the way she handled the controls Naruto guessed that she could probably fix the engine if it happened to malfunction. In point of fact she probably had a isotope resistant pair of overalls and hood for just such an occasion.

"See to it then," he said.

Dattebayo...

Aboard the Shuttle approaching Yugakure Spaceport

Hinata's attempt to wrest control away from her Mistress had gone as well as could be expected. Sakura's sharp mind had caught on to the girl's angle as soon as she calmly made her presence felt in council, and her friend's courage had bolstered her own, but the girl's dire predictions had put the worm of fear in her and in quite a few of the others.

After Mistress Pav Qeral had seemed to take the situation in hand she would have despaired if not for the calm smile that dominated her clear eyed friend's gaze later.

Sakura had come to realize after they all bustled away and prepared for first contact in their own ways that her friend had not expected to win the first battle for control of the envoy against the ranked members - although they had all been amazed by how in-depth her analysis of Terra's stellar intentions were and had all been poleaxed by her forecast of an assignation attempt within the first month of their sojourn on the planet. Even her mentor's eyes had narrowed with worry at the tail end of the bold and petite girl's plea for high alert.

The Flagship was stationed many miles beyond the moon at a non-threatening distance but well within range of the planet's system defense emplacements. Bereft of its reassuring presence and because of Hinata's predictions she had changed out of her Jedi robes before boarding the medium sized transport that ferried them towards the planet.

She did not possess army grade equipment like her friend did, or like Sasuke had, but she had comfortable and reinforced pantaloons and a form fitting tunic that were both done up in an attractive arrangement of soft blue highlights and brilliant white.

She sighed as she settled back on the headrest. Stress had tired her out but the adrenalin their imminent return to the homeland had stirred up within kept Sakura wide awake.

Although there were no viewports, for this was a retrofitted military vehicle and the space accommodated armor and shield nodes instead, there was a large screen that showed the rows of seated Jedi, diplomats, and commandos the approach.

Some faces were grim but Lovett – she did not know why he had been seated beside her and she still felt embarrassment over the library incident – was confident. He wore military garb like Sasuke, but his was a somber brown color although a little gold and silver filigree added some class.

For the first time she saw his Lightsaber for the scholar usually went without one when attending the lectures and seminars she had spied him at. It seemed that he usually wore it strapped to his back for the awkward cylinder was balanced on his knees but its finely etched metal form did not draw away from his calm or looks.

Knight Alcatraz noted her gaze.

"Interesting isn't it?" he asked; familiar like but still polite. "Not many of us have ever stood by the double bladed saber. They say that it isn't any good when faced with concentrated blaster fire, but I'm a bit of an eccentric. Not many scholars have done proud service with the commandos," Lovett said.

"What engagements have you been in?" she asked suddenly conscious of the simple and clean construction of her blade, and mindful of the basic defensive style of saber combat that she clung to as a healer.

"Engagements concerning minds and souls," he said mysteriously and poetically. "It wouldn't be polite to say," he elaborated with a rueful smile as he brushed his right hand through his unbound mid-length hair. "My commando buddies wouldn't thank me for it."

"What do you think about what Knight Hyuuga said?" Sakura asked. The specter of combat stopped her from relaxing.

Concern entered Lovett's casually slouched posture and he sat up smoothly. Reassurance laced his voice.

"I hope the fighting doesn't arrive too soon and when it comes down to it I still trust in the Force…" he said. "As should you. You're stronger than you think you are Sakura. And what you think of as weaknesses are some of the strengths that our Order cherishes most dearly,"

"And what would those qualities be?" she asked. She didn't know whether to be flattered or to be indignant.

"Your beauty and your fear," he said promptly. "Your beauty because our Order has always treasured aesthetic harmony above all else – you only need to look at the temples we've constructed over the millennia for proof – and your fear because we loath violence, and the Jedi who forget that fact often find themselves on the road dark," Lovett purred.

"I-I I see," Sakura stammered. There was a time when she found his – by Jedi standards – overbearing suave appealing but nowadays she grew tired of his swag.

She took a reflexive and instinctive look towards where Sasuke was sitting. Things had changes since the time they had spent together at the hospice. He protecting while she healed and deprived the dealers of their main cash cow – relapsing addicts.

He was ahead of her and on the other row. She could only catch a glimpse of his hair which had grown out in the same shape as his youthful style to crown the top of his seat.

"Let's hope the qualities you speak about can inspire us all," she said.

Lovett had by this time noticed that her gaze had been off him for a steady period. His eyes followed hers and he saw Sasuke.

"Inspire the one or inspire us all one wonders?" he said. Could it be that a tint of meanness entered the Jedi's tone? "Youth is to be cherished," his hand came to rest on the grip of his Lightsaber.

Now that her eye had been drawn close Sakura could make out the joint where he would be able to break the blade into two and wield each separately.

"But experience is to be treasured," Lovett Alcatraz said.

Yugakure

Council Chambers

When Uzumaki Naruto had pictured his ascent into the officer cadre in his fantasies it was not to occur in this fashion. He had dreamed about storming the place leading a full blown coup, and backed by missing and regular Shinobi alike ten or fifteen years from now, for although it was only whispered the NCO was already an army star.

He appealed to the regulars because he came of them and had never renounced them whilst the missing nin were already his – despite whatever orders Osvaldus gave they were his and Asuma's – because he fought alongside them.

That was not what reality had to offer. His chauffeur drove him to the gates of the Council Tower and then charged him an exorbitant fare. Night had fallen. In this season dusk transitioned swiftly and he had experienced that segment of time stuck in traffic. It seemed as if the Council had taken note of his tardiness for someone was waiting to escort him in at the gates. It was not a Shinobi but the man was a high-ranking diplomat.

"Sorry. You all made me come in a hurry. I didn't have time to fetch my I.D," Naruto lied. Mischievously and petulantly because he was still peeved off at his taxi driver.

"No need for that," the beautiful blond woman said. From her accent and dark skin he could tell that she hailed from the Lightning Country.

"I've identified you and the Full Council is already in session," she said.

"The Full Council is in session!" Naruto whistled.

The Full Council being in session meant that the Chiss ambassador and Elemental Country High Representatives were present. No wonder they had made him a Captain. The meeting would have lost all decorum if a common Lieutenant or – gasp – NCO was in attendance.

"You need better security if all the higher ups are involved," he admonished her playfully as they headed towards the wherever she was taking him.

Don't worry," she said as they walked briskly. "By the old labels I'm a full Jounin, so I think I can detain you if you turned out to be rogue, and yes I do know of your reputation," she said.

"How did you know I was going to ask that?" Naruto smirked.

"According to your reputation you're fond of telling people about your reputation," she said smiling.

Yugakure Spaceport

Perhaps it was because it was night time and he was returning to a planet he associated with horrifying events, or perhaps it was because of Hinata's warning , but either way Sasuke was uneasy after their landing.

This was what saved his life, and because a similar state of watchfulness pervaded the minds of all the delegation's Jedi, saved the lives of most of the diplomats that were riding alongside them in the Speeders that had been provided escorted by a planetary guard.

Unlike the career legates in the back seat who muttered to each other in dignified tones and were reassured by the hulking Mechs that escorted them Sasuke was ready for it when it came, and when it came the first attack came with deadly intent.

At a vulnerable time when they circled the roundabout of a plaza of the type that was dominated by civilian press in the daytime but was usually almost completely empty on weekday nights.

Somebody stationed in a skyscraper along the route fired a Grenadier's Sniper Rifle. The weapon spat out a miniaturized proton bomb that obliterated the Mech that was supporting the column from the front. The war machine lost an arm to the conflagration that engulfed it because the 'smart' circuitry in the bullet managed to bypass its shields completely and it was as if they did not exist. The energized flames ate into the delicate area where the engine was housed.

Volatile reactions clashed with contained ones and there was a calamitous explosion which sent shards of Mech and concrete everywhere. The resulting boom scattered the convoy utterly and Sasuke marked one vehicle that was destroyed by an iron pike of scrap that pierced its torso and sent it keeling over using the physics of its own motion.

"Argh!" / "What was that! An explosion?" / "Graahgh!" the diplomats began to panic. They were not alone in this. Outside those few luckless souls who had attended the plaza also began to screech as they fled the scene on quaking and flailing limbs while the few civilian vehicles there were either came to confused and screeching halts, or high tailed it out of the area without regard for normal driving rules at all.

The surviving drivers were well trained but the sudden attack shook them. There was a moment of confusion before the convoy regained its equilibrium and they stopped swerving unnecessarily. Thankfully the panicked cries of most of his passenger's seemed to steady the hand of Sasuke's driver and they exchanged measured looks.

His Sharingan blazed and he was sure there were other Jedi in the delegation that held confidence in their abilities. He reached for the Force, and as he did so Sasuke hastened to unbuckle his seatbelt.

There was another explosion. The convoy had made its way out of the wide killing plaza in a mad dash but the ambush was well planned and there were more attackers obstructing the path.

A madman emerged strapped to the nines with explosive material and the lead driver had no warning before the suicidal Shinobi dropped from his perch from a ledge designed to furrow rainwater off the dense network of constructed buildings, and timed his jump to land squarely on his windshield. The accurate assault dented the durasteel but the resultant detonation rendered this petty act of no consequence as it gutted the vehicle.

"Oh my god," the same petrified and white bearded diplomat said. There were only four vehicles left and at least four Jedi had died in the attacks so far. Perversely Sasuke wished it was any four excepting Sakura and Hinata.

Thankfully thee wail of sirens came to them all then as they zoomed through the empty streets and cut off more of his distracting warbling.

Sasuke did not quite know the layout of the city, it was one thing studying schematics and something else actually breathing the environment, but he guessed that they were closing on the relative safety of building that had been designated for their use.

As his car maneuvered past the wreckage of the slain embassy vehicle he wondered whether the sirens were calling for help against them or for them.

The first attacks had come from above but those that accompanied it originated from the bowels of the earth. The birthing battle was illuminated by the large hanging grape fruit shapes of the streetlights that guided night traffic, and the tree like posts cast a ghastly air of the running battle.

The first attacks had come from above but those that accompanied it originated from the bowels of the earth. Not literally, but as they passed an innocent looking garage – the type that serviced Speeders and bike variants something disturbing happened. Just when they began to breath easy and had driven unmolested for about five minutes – just when they thought they were in the clear the third act commenced.

Sasuke watched as sole headlights came on and engines revved. Unlike the silent repulse lifts that helped them flee the enemy that was coming was coming armed with the rapid and destructive combustion of chemical engines, and the noise made was enough to let everyone know it.

The guiding beams resolved into two packs of Speeder-bikes that throttled out of the garage and set off in hot pursuit behind what was left of the convoy.

The sole Mech escort remaining was caught by surprise. While his comrade had been annihilated from above he was taken from the back. Not only had the pilot not expected the sudden egress of the pursuing hounds, but he did not expect them to be armed.

As they bit at him with medium laser cannon that had been grafted on he tried to respond. It took precious seconds for him to bring his Mech's torso round so that the chest laser emplacements and anti-personnel multi-cannon could come to bear but they whittled at his shield in the mean –time.

The pilot managed one resounding volley and let loose with his lasers.

He mistimed the laser burst and it ate through nothing but the durasteel mass of the building alongside the route his targeted enemy took. From this distance Sasuke could make out the fact that some of the Speeder-bikes carried two occupants, and he did not doubt that the passengers were Shinobi.

However the burst of anti-personnel pellets took out three of their assailants. This was to be the Mech's last action. It limped as the packs zoomed past pouring their concentrated fire into its legs. The pilot ejected before his vehicle was brought to his knees and long before the last of the hurtling Speeder-bikes had buzzed past.

"Whatever you do don't stop for anything. Don't slow down, and make sure you get us to the hotel," Sasuke commanded his driver as the enemy approached. The man nodded tersely. He already had a white knuckled grip on his controls and his eyes darted around anxiously as if he possessed the same Sharingan that Sasuke owned.

A rapid manipulation had his viewport rolled down. The three diplomats with him were still stricken with terror. Their voices had gone hoarse from their incessant screaming and they panted for air as they clutched at each other to counter the gyrations of their Speeder's evasive maneuvers.

Sasuke squirmed out and the wind generated by their passage whipped the cloth of his protective gear and made a mess of his hair. He scrambled for the roof and clutched at the vehicle with a telekinetic grip. As he gained his feet on the roof he achieved a panoramic view of proceedings.

When Jedi are panicked or in battle they often influence each other via stray thoughts that their potent intellects pick up, and at time they react as one. Even as he planted his feet lightly, held the vehicle with his mind tightly, and unsheathed his blades Sasuke saw his fellow Jedi do the same as they clambered out of viewports to defend their transports.

Sasuke had his blue dueling blade in hand but it was unlit. The green length of his guard shoto sprang in reverse with the point moving past his elbow and he twirled it to his fore in the instant before the assassins closed in fully. He used it to deflect the beams the cannon attached to the bikes sent at his Speeder and his fellows did the same.

The night was alight with dancing shadows as the Jedi moved smoothly on their precarious platforms and sent the scorching beams screaming back at their attackers and to gouge deep holes in face of the housing that raced along their tumbling flight. The roads ahead had been cleared as by this time news of events were beginning to filter through and the planetary authorities were rising from their slumber.

As quickly as they fled bikes were faster. Soon enough the enemies were amongst them like wolves, but the drivers learnt the error of their ways and the cannons had already cooled. Four of their number had already been burned from the pursuit by their own rays as efficient Jedi reflected the bursts back, and the two packs were forced to merge into one for the final attempt. There were of them six of them left all carrying Shinobi.

Sasuke readied himself as the first of them gained his vehicle. The bike driver peeled off after dropping his load and Sasuke saw that the others did the same. They were leaving the attacking Shinobi behind. This was really to be an all or nothing affair.

He experienced a slight moment of shock as he narrowly ducked aside from the Kunai the warrior sent at him. He had been expecting and anticipating a traditional throwing motion but the man simply raised his left arm and some kind of launcher sent the projectiles at him.

As they flew by Sasuke's sharp Sharingan took in the fact that they were below standard size. He could not afford to think on this too much however because the man was coming in. Sasuke's grip was sure due to his innate Jedi abilities but the man's was surer. The fighter bounced forward as if his feet were glued to the speeding transport and his fingers snaked together. The next thing Sasuke knew the man waved his hand at him as if he were a magician flourishing a cape and at least nine shards of Elemental Lightning energy streaked at him.

Fuck!

He ducked to the side erasing two of them with his guard shoto. He nearly lost his psychic grip on the vehicle as his body slung down to hang off perpendicularly on the back side door but he whipped himself around and gained position behind the nin.

His blue blade came alive and met the modern vibro-sword the man possessed. From his vantage he could see over the man's shoulder to the vehicle ahead and beheld that spectacle for an instant.

Hinata guarded it alone and in the brief instant he had watching she sent one attacker to smash his flailing head against the road with a surging and powerful upper-kick, and then executed a swift roll that took her to the head of the vehicle. Sasuke could only take note of how she whirled around to defend herself from the other encroacher before pragmatism dragged him back to his own fray.

His Lightsaber quickly ate through whatever chakra technique the man was using to shield his weapon – whoever they were they were prepared – and sheered through blade. The man adroitly produced another shorter one that was strapped to the small of his back and gamely dueled on. They engaged in a strange and intimate dance as the man sent one leg darting forward in a thrust and Sasuke leaned to the side or back in a parry or thrust. Occasionally their heaving muscles strived against each other for precious seconds as their blades became locked before one disengaged to find greater tactical advantage.

Sasuke gained the upper hand for an instant and pushed inside the man's guard. His Lightsaber worked around the man's grip reaching for his fingers and Sasuke took pleasure in the widened and surprised eyes that quested for his as the skilled assassin let go of the weapon to save himself, but he did not take pleasure in the well timed punch that showed him that he had overreached and brought blood spurting from his mouth.

They both stumbled back. This time it was the other who seemed to almost loose his footing. He employed whatever technique he was using to remain instinctively but the wind generated by their passage was almost irresistible.

Sasuke deactivated his guard shoto and brought his dueling saber into a double handed grip. He took a deep breath fixing the man's image in his mind.

Dark shrouding clothes accompanying a half mask that covered the bottom of his face and an unmarked Forehead protector whose only defining characteristic was that it was glossed out in black paint. They rushed each other at the same moment and in silence. Death was the only possible outcome.