I modified the prologue a bit, so please go back there once.
Disclaimer - I own the entire Harry Potter and Star Wars universe, JKR and George Lucas are my pen names... Come on...
The Ministry of Magic's cruiser was whipping through space at a very high speed, having gone into hyperspace a short while ago.
The two Jedi Knights were pretty relaxed, yet still mindful of any warning they received through the Force, knowing that they weren't dealing with anything dark or dangerous this time. It was just an easy matter of negotiation over some trade dispute.
'Why do the Ministry's junk vessels always have to be red?' the woman asked disgustedly, running a hand through her bubble-gum pink hair, willing it unconsciously to change to a spiky style of violet.
'You know the protocol, Nymphadora, red for diplomatic situations and blue or green for belligerent situations,' Remus Lupin replied, looking at his younger Jedi partner thoughtfully.
'And what about other situations, Remus? And don't call me Nymphadora.' Tonks said, glaring at Remus.
'Well, ... I don't know the full protocol either. Besides, the insides of the Ministry ships are much more luxurious and spacious than the ones the Council gives us. That's what matters more for passengers, Nymphadora,' Remus said.
'Sure. Don't they know that painting a ship red only makes it a better target? And, for the last time, don't call me Nymphadora!'
'No one's going to target us this time, Nym-Tonks. No fighting on this one, only peaceful negotiation,' Remus said, amusement lacing his voice.
'All it takes is one wrong move or one wrong word for peaceful negotiation to become aggressive conflict,' Tonks growled.
'And I suppose that one word is ''Nymphadora''?' Remus asked with a devilish grin on his face.
Tonks fought to keep a blush from appearing on her face, and quickly snatched an apple from a nearby cart and hurled it at Remus, who with a deft swipe of his hand, sent it back at Tonks. Both of them continued this game of Force-pushing, as a means of pleasure and concentration.
A couple of hours passed, before the cruiser finally dropped out of hyperspace, giving the Jedi Knights their first view of not the emerald planet of Naboo, but instead the sea of Trade Federation battleships that surrounded it.
'On second thought, they shouldn't have painted this damn thing red,' Remus thought, making sure not to say it aloud.
Tonks' dark eyes twinkled wickedly at Remus, as if she knew exactly what he was about to say.
'You can admit I'm right, you know, I'm not going to bite you,' Tonks said, smiling.
'Wouldn't mind if you did,' Remus shot back.
Tonks blushed and was about to say something back, when the view screen lit. A crisp image of a Neimoidian with grayish-tan skin and dull orange eyes appeared, wearing a royal three-pronged headdress.
'Captain, tell him that the ambassadors of the Minister for Magic wish to board immediately,' Remus said.
The captain relayed the message to the Neimoidian, who was a Trade Federation viceroy.
'Of course, of course, we are very happy to receive the honourable ambassadors of the Minister himself. As you know, our blockade is perfectly legal.' The view screem flickered for a moment, before going black.
'Anyway, between you and me, these Federation types are cowards. The negotiations will be as short as we want them to be. But in case things get nasty, remember that the Trade Federation relies on droids to do most of their work, including any kind of combat. So, forget about wands, we can take everyone with our lightsabers.' Remus said.
'Roger that, Captain,' Tonks said grinning. But then her expression darkened and she added, 'And in case there are humans out there... we revert to the old-'
'Yes, Tonks, we revert to the old Form I. Which means I will attack everything that moves with my wand, and you must defend the circle around me excluding my periphery of vision with your remarkable saber skills.' Remus said, chuckling, knowing what Tonks would say next.
'Of course, you bravely attack and I defend. I suppose that's because I'm a woman?' Tonks growled.
'No, Tonks, it's because, frankly speaking, your knowledge of the Force, your skills with a wand and your style of hand-to-hand combat are very good, but your technique with a lightsaber is simply astounding. Even better than mine, I have to say. The pink blade of death,' Remus said, staring at Tonks seriously.
'Flatterer,' Tonks replied, rolling her eyes.
They stopped their banter as the cruiser settled to the floor of the Federation battleship's hangar bay. Remus motioned to Tonks and together they exited the spaceship. As they came down the exit, they saw a protocol droid waiting below.
It was a silver coloured TC-series protocol droid manufactured by Cybot Galactica and programmed with a feminine personality.
'I'm TC-14 at your service. Please follow me,' the droid said, looking at Remus.
The droid led them to a posh, spacious room equipped with a round conference table, on which there was a holoprojector and a large bottle of Alderaanian Phoot Brandy.
'I hope you will be comfortable here. My master is expected to arrive soon,' the droid said, and bowing, it left the room quietly.
'These Federation people are pretty rich, aren't they?' Tonks asked. 'Alderaanian brandy.'
'Don't get too relaxed, I sense an unusual amount of fear radiating from them for something as trivial as this trade dispute,' Remus said, eyeing the bottle of brandy warily, as though it contained some sort of ticking time bomb.
'The matter isn't so trivial anymore, they've actually blockaded a planet and taking a look at the ships that they've brought with them, it looks like there'll be an invasion soon enough,' Tonks said.
'Impossible,' Remus said without hesitation. 'The Ministry will intervene soon enough. The Trade Federation has a lot of power, and if the rumours are true, they have an insider at the Ministry, but under no circumstances will they be able to make an invasion on a peaceful planet legal.'
'You have no idea how powerful that mole in the Minstry might be,' Tonks muttered under her breath.
*
Nute Gunray was a rather selfish Neimoidian, skilled in the political arena and concerned with only his own welfare.
His role in the Stark Hyperspace war ensured that he became Viceroy of the Trade Federation, although his power in the Federation was still regulated by the Trade Federation Directorate. At this point, Gunray was contacted by the mysterious Lord Voldemort, who promised to make Gunray the sole leader of the Federation. Lord Voldemort also provided Gunray's Federation with a much larger and improved battle droid army, in exchange for Gunray's cooperation with him.
Under Voldemort's command, Gunray ordered a total blockade of Naboo, with the official reason being that the Trade Federation wanted a bigger share in the taxes received by the Ministry of Magic.
Gunray was nervous ever since the blockade of Naboo began. He had been frightened ever since the Ministry cruiser entered the Naboo star system, and the two Jedi Knights debarked. Now standing on the main bridge of the biggest battleship that the Federation possessed and facing the hologram of Lord Voldemort, he was terrified.
'Lord Voldemort frightens everyone,' thought Nute. The Sith Lord was a shadowy, evil and mysterious figure. He had an imposing aura around him and he leaked of dark magic. Even though the Trade Federation followed him loyally, till now they never saw the face of the person with whom they were dealing with, for he always wore a black hooded cloak that hid most of his face from his allies.
'How are things proceeding, Viceroy?' he asked, his voice a soft hiss, not unlike that of a snake's.
'My lord, we have blockaded the planet for some time now and the ambassadors of the Minister have just arrived,' Nute said, bowing low and making sure he didn't look anywhere near the Sith Lord's face.
'Good. We must accelerate our plans. Keep the ambassadors engaged in negotiations and in the meanwhile begin landing your troops,' Voldemort said.
Nute couldn't believe what he was hearing. Invasion? Thousands of battle droids stood ready to fight, in many rooms of many of his battleships, but he hadn't expected the possibility of them actually being used in a battle.
'M-M-My Lord... is that legal? The Ministry won't allow-'
'I will make it legal,' Voldemort interrupted, as if daring him to object or raise a protestation of any kind. 'The Imperius has always proved useful,' he thought, staring down at the viceroy.
Nute shivered. Voldemort's tone made it clear that the invasion would have to be carried out by the Federation immediately. 'If he can make an actual illegal invasion legal, what else is he capable of?'
'The invasion will proceed as soon as possible, my lord. What is to be done of the ambassdaors? They are Jedi,' Nute said, not sure whether he wanted to hear the answer or not.
'The Minister was mistaken when he thought that they can be ambassadors for this trade conflict. Have them killed immediately,' Voldemort said lazily.
'Y-Yes, of-of course, my lord. They will die,' Nute stammered, fear gripping his heart. He stared at the tall figure in the hooded cloak with apprehension, clearly waiting for some word on how Voldemort would make that legal. When Voldemort didn't say anything further, he gulped audibly. 'The wrath of the Ministry and the Jedi Council will be aimed at me, if I do such a thing. But even then I'd rather face them than a wrathful Lord Voldemort.
Voldemort chuckled, and not for the first time did Nute wonder whether he had the ability to read minds as well.
'You must capture the young queen of Naboo and ensure that she signs the treaty. For your sake I hope you are able to execute my orders admirably, Viceroy. I am sure you will. Nevertheless, I will be making a visit there shortly to see for myself how things are proceeding.'
'My-My Lord, you're coming here... to Naboo?' Nute said, sure that his throat was almost clamped. Now even a non-Force user would easily be able to feel the terror and fear radiating from the Neimoidian.
'Yes, I see your intelligence has gone up ever since the blockade began, Viceroy. I trust you will make proper arrangements to receive me?' Voldemort asked, humour evident in his cold, icy voice.
'Of course, my lord. I will make sure that no one even has an inkling that anyone important is coming. I will do everything you order, my lord,' Nute said, trying to make sure that his desperation wasn't evident in his voice, sweat now dripping profusely from his brow.
'Good,' Voldemort said, his voice almost inaudible, and the hologram disappeared, leaving a trembling Nute standing alone on the bridge. Nute took a deep breath of relief, and headed towards the ship's main control room.
He went to the panel which operated the ship's internal controls. He moved his hand delicately on the main screen and pressed a button. The screen zoomed in to the docking bay where the Ministry's cruiser, Radiant VII, sat. He pulled a lever which caused a hidden gun to point directly at the cockpit of the cruiser. He hardly hesitated before he pressed a big, red button directly under the lever. The gun fired, and the Ministry cruiser exploded.
He watched idly as the ship burned, and he switched on his comlink.
'Take care of the Jedi and begin unloading,' he said.
*
In the marble-walled, luxurious throne room of the Royal Palace of Naboo, the Governing Council of Her Highness had assembled to discuss the ongoing crisis with the Trade Federation. Hermione Granger, the queen of Naboo, sat elegantly on her throne, an ornate chair on a raised dais, surrounded by her handmaidens who were kneeling beside her, all of them cloaked and hooded in crimson. She was young, beautiful and serene. An applied beauty mark of deepest crimson split her lower lip, giving her a glamorous look, even though it was the royal custom. She wore an elaborate, royal costume also red in colour and a golden headdress framed her creamy face. As per the royal customs, this was the dress code of the queen and today, her appearance was especially important, as she was about to speak with the Trade Federation.
Contrary to her mere fourteen years of age, her wisdom and common sense exceeded that of even many adults. She was stern, feared and yet loved by her subjects. A wave of indignation arose in her as she thought of the Trade Federation and what they had done. 'They probably think that a teenager is too stupid and immature to rule a planet. And that's why they picked my planet for their blockade. I'll show them I'm no pushover.'
The view screen lit up and the dreary, ever-frowning figure of the Trade Federation viceroy came into view, his orange eyes immediately trying to scrutinise the queen for signs of weakness. He, however, was met with the piercing stare of the queen's chocolate brown eyes.
Although taken aback, he quickly regained his countenance and spoke.
'The Federation is quite pleased with your presence, Your Highness,' Nute Gunray said smoothly.
'Then you will not be pleased to hear this, viceroy,' Hermione said, making sure her disdain could be heard to all those present. 'I know that the ambassadors of the Minister are with you right now, negotiating for us. What is the agreement to be?'
'I've neither seen nor heard anything about the Minister's ambassadors. Forgive me for my insolence, but you must be mistaken, Your Highness,' Nute replied, his eyes expressing nothing.
Surprised, Hermione leaned forward and studied Nute's face closely, to see if he was lying. Unable to figure out anything, she said, 'Be careful, viceroy. The Ministry knows this is illegal, they will not stand for it. The Federation is going too far this time,' Hermione said.
The assurance that Voldemort could make an invasion illegal came hissing back into his mind as he replied, 'Your Highness, we would not do anything that the Ministry deems illegal. You assume too much.'
'We will see,' Hermione said, and ended the transmission. The view screen went black and a buzz of discussion arose among the counsellors. Hermione started thinking. The viceroy seemed honest enough when he said the Federation wouldn't do anything that the Ministry thought illegal. But she knew that appearances could be deceiving. After another minute of silent contemplation, she turned to the Governor of Theed, which was the capital city of Naboo.
'Governor, contact Senator Riddle at once. I must speak to him,' Hermione ordered. Riddle represented the planet of Naboo in the Senate of the Ministry. If the situation on Earth changed, if the ambassadors were not sent for some reason, Riddle would surely know that reason.
But Senator Riddle apparently was as confused by the viceroy's statements as everyone else was.
'How is that possible? I discussed this with the Minister. The pilot of the ambassadors' cruiser informed him that they did land on the main battleship,' Riddle said, clearly bewildered.
'Then why did the viceroy say he hadn't heard of any negotiator coming in?' Hermione asked.
'I'm pretty sure he was playing games with you, Your Highness, to lower your morale. Anyway, I don't-' The communication hologram flickered on and off.
'Senator Riddle, do you hear me!' Hermione asked urgently. She needed the Senator's vast experience, and for that ; all communication with him would have to be faultless.
'-Ministry-legal-negotiate-' The hologram flickered once again and died completely. The counsellors looked on in shock, before looking at the queen fearfully.
Hermione turned to her head of security, a tall, dark-skinned man, Captain Panaka. 'Panaka, what's happening?'
'I don't think it could be a malfunction in the transmission generators, Your Highness,' Panaka said, without a trace of humour in his voice.
'It has to be the Federation jamming us,' Hermione said. 'Which means they're- they're invading us!' Hermione said, distraught. She always advocated equality between all races, abolishment of slavery and loved the idea of peace and tranquility. She hated the idea of wars and bloodshed.
'Your Highness, Senator Riddle is probably doing all he can. For now, we will have to trust in the Ministry,' the Governor of Theed said.
'For now, I guess we'll have to continue to rely on negotiation,' Hermione said.
'Negotiation?! How can we negotiate? We have no means of communication. We're practically isolated. And what in the blazes happened to the Minister's ambassadors?' Panaka asked, in stunned disbelief.
For once, Hermione had no answer.
AN - Well, this is not exactly a crossover. It's a SW plot with a few SW characters and a lot of HP characters, and later on, there'll be many modifications that I'm gonna make, to hopefully make it a bit interesting.
I said I'd have this out a week ago, with an update on Seduction Secrets as well, but unfortunately I was really busy. India and Australia are playing a cricket test series and I have a series of tests in college next week, so.