Chapter 7
The Package
He awoke with a groan, turning over to smack the snooze button on his alarm clock before lying on his back, looking up at the ceiling of his little cell/bedroom. Naruto yawned as he got up, noticing his roommate had already risen, her bed made.
Two weeks he had been aboard this ship, two weeks he had been a member of its crew. He didn't regret meeting the people of the Uhumele, not by a long shot. They were all of several different races, all of different ages and followed different creeds, yet managed to work in complete harmony with one another. The only problem Naruto had was the fact that he had been wandering through the eternal void of space for too long.
Naruto was a man who took his physical and psychological health very seriously, back at home he would rise with the morning sun for a quick breakfast before moving on to train his mind and body. It was a regime which served him well in both his youth and adolescence. There was just one small problem with him continuing this training where he was, that problem seemed pretty simple, but too him it was unacceptable.
There was no bloody sun.
Being a man who rose with the sun that was a considerable problem and the absence of something which a month ago he had taken for granted was really doing a number on his biological clock. Now he had no idea when to get up or go to sleep, with the only real awakening coming from the watchman before him and being relieved by the watchman after him.
Naruto frowned as he got up and stumbled into the bathroom, performing his morning ritual of a five minute sonic shower, cleaning his teeth and rinsing his face before he got dressed and stumbled out of his shared room into the main living quarters of the Uhumele. He saw Bomo Greenbark and gave the Nosaurian a dismissal wave before stumbling to the kitchen counter, taking out cereal and Bantha milk, pouring them into a bowl and glass respectively before settling down to eat.
Bomo sat beside him, enjoying an evening meal of steak, fries and a glass of something alcoholic. "You really aren't very good with space travel are you?"
Naruto grunted in acknowledgement as he grabbed a spoon and dug it into his bowl of cereal, eating it like the machine he was slowly becoming. Aayla, Bomo and the Captain had laughed at his semi-death state and told him he would get over it, even Crys had taken a little mirth with his pain, but here he was three weeks later and he had still not gotten used to it.
He craved sunlight; he craved fresh air and the wind on his face, by the Sage he wanted to be in the middle of a heavy rain storm. He missed planetary atmosphere that bloody much. "So… who am I relieving?"
The Nosaurian smirked, "I'm wondering if you're fit to relieve anyone."
"Ha ha," Naruto muttered as he took another bite.
Bomo chuckled, "You're relieving Sniffles in engineering, and I'd be careful if I were you. The old man hasn't been in a good mood these last few days."
"I don't blame him," Naruto muttered as he took another bite. "When are we going to reach another planet?"
"Missing the dirt already huh?"
"Don't forget that this is my second time on a Starship, until then I had no idea of any of this," Naruto reminded as he took a gulp of his milk. "I mean I miss the sun's warmth, the wind on my face, fresh air and not this recycled stuff, I miss the rain and the smell of a salty sea."
"Wow," Bomo said in surprise. "Damn Naruto, that was almost poetic."
"Screw you,"
"Not on your life."
Bomo laughed heartily before noticing another figure enter the room, Sniffles looked exhausted, caked in dirt and grime as he absently waved at them before stumbling into his bed chambers and undoubtedly his shower cubicle. Both watched as he vanished before Naruto turned back to Bomo. "So who am I working with today?"
"Meek,"
"What else is new, he lives down there."
"And Knight Secura,"
"You don't have to call her Knight you know, I mean she already told you a dozen times just to call her Aayla," Naruto pointed out as he took another bite of his cereal, before choking on it and downing a few swigs of his milk.
"I know," Bomo replied with a scowl. "But it's not that easy, she was an enemy to me just a few months ago Naruto, and that doesn't just go away overnight."
"The Jedi were used as much as the Separatists were, and they paid a similar price," The blonde replied.
"I know," Greenbark replied as he took a swig of his drink. "We were both screwed over pretty bad, and I know I shouldn't be holding anything against her, but she was a Jedi of the Republic and I was a soldier of the Confederacy. Some things can't just be buried so easily. I know that if it wasn't for her I would have lost my daughter, but still."
"Bomo," Naruto sighed as he downed the last of his drink. "You have lost a great deal to this war, you're friends and you're entire family, excluding little Resa. I can understand why you feel the way you do… but."
He let the sentence hang in the air, waiting for his companion to initiate the next role, which he did, "But?"
"You are under the assumption that Jedi were these unfeeling warriors who lived in their ivory towers, when that couldn't be the farthest from the truth." Naruto put his glass down, looking over at the Nosaurian with aged eyes. "Jedi want the galaxy to think they are invulnerable, but at the end of the day they are sentient beings, like you or me. They never knew their parents, so instead they made attachments with their fellows, their masters and fellow students. They gathered a number of fellow Jedi around them, and because of their connection to the force when one of them dies all of them feel it."
Once again Naruto let his sentence hang in the air, and as he expected his companion took it. Bomo looked over at Naruto with slightly widened eyes, "You don't mean."
All Naruto did was nod, "They may act uncaring Bomo, but they do feel like you or me. When Order 66 was carried out Aayla felt the death of every person she considered a friend and loved one. It shattered her man. I'm not saying this because of some sense of pride; I'm just telling you what I saw. She broke down, and was unable to really speak for days. There were times at night where I could hear her crying. That was how bad it had been for her. Imagine seeing everyone you ever loved die in front of you, and you'll only know a small part of her pain."
The Nosaurian beside him was silent as Naruto took his last few bites of his cereal before rising to his feet with a sigh and making his way towards engineering. "I hear we got a buyer for that crate."
Bomo nodded, "Yea, some rich guy the Captain's done business with before, should be pretty straight forward."
Naruto nodded, he knew very little about their mystery cargo and that somewhat bothered him. It was called the Jebble Box, an ancient antique whose origin was a mystery. Carbon dating had placed the age of the box to roughly around three thousand years or more. Wars had been fought for possession of it, and its ownership was said to change hands hundreds of times over the centuries. No one knew what was within the crate, and this had sprouted much speculation.
Just getting the crate had been a bother, because it seemed the Empire had an interest in this artefact as well. They had stopped by Pizkoss, a small trading planet in the Core worlds to negotiate the deal, and were set upon by a unit of Troopers. Bomo, Meek and Janks had found themselves on the run, and in the confusion Janks was captured by the Imperials. Naruto wished he was there, being taught the internal workings of sublight engines by Aayla. It irked him that he hadn't been there to help.
"Ah, there you are Naruto." He looked around to see Schurk walking over to him with, nodding to Bomo. "I need you for a moment."
The blond shrugged as he turned around and strode back into the room, plopping himself down on the same stool he was on previous. "What do you need pops?"
Schurk-Heren raised a brow at this, "We will be setting down on Mimban later today to drop off our cargo. I would like you to accompany us."
Aayla stood at the precipice, for the last few weeks she had stayed aboard the Uhumele with Schurk-Heren and his crew, acting as a mechanic and co-pilot for the kindly Captain who had taken them in even though he knew what she was and the price on her head as an enemy of the Empire. It was a true band on misfits which made up the smuggler ship's crew.
She sensed that Schurk-Heren himself was a good man who strived to earn enough to feed himself and his crew. The Uhumele was his ship, and he had gathered his crew from victims of the Clone Wars including former slaves, abandoned warriors and civilians who had lost everything in that force awful conflict.
Ko Vakier, a Blood Carver and main weapons specialist of the Uhumele, trained in his people's warrior culture from a young age. He was the most experienced warrior on the original crew, skilled in almost every form of hand-to-hand and weapons fighting. He also had a good strategic mind, good enough that when the Captain was unsure of the situation he would ask for the Blood Carvers advice.
Mezgraf, she didn't know his last name, was a former slave who had freed himself and joined the crew of the Uhumele. He was very secretive about his past, and the slave tattoo on his right shoulder was always covered up. He was a good man, strong of heart and character and a loyal member of Schurk-Heren's crew.
Meekerdin-Maa, also known as Ratty, but Naruto and Aayla had just decided to call him Meek, was the head engineer of the ship and was responsible for keeping her running for quite some time. He was uncannily observant, a skill in every skilful engineer, and also extraordinarily sensitive to those around him. This made people think he was younger than he really was, something Naruto learned the hard way. He had an assistant called Janks, but he had been captured by the Imperial about a week ago and she hadn't really had the chance to get to know him.
Lynaliskar K'ra Snyffulnimatta, known as Sniffles to everyone else (A name that Crys had idly said which stuck ever since, despite his misgivings) was the ships navigator, and also a part time engineer who helped out Ratty and her on occasion. He was a refugee like Crys, and although a little squeamish was someone you could trust with things.
Crys Taanzer was the ships pilot and a widow who had lost both her husband and son during the Clone Wars. Her husband had died defending her against the Separatists, and her son was found to have the capability to become a Jedi and, with her consent was given priority passage off world. She was taken in by Schurk, like all the others, and taught how to pilot the ship. She was a woman hounded by her past, and the few times they had met her words had been respectful but strained. She held a grudge against the Republic, the Empire and the Jedi for losing her family.
Bomo Greenbark and Dass Jennir were newcomers, same as her and Naruto, a former Separatist freedom fighter and a Jedi General who had worked together after the announcement of Order 66. Bomo was a very down to earth individual, a man who Aayla considered honourable, respectful and determined to raise his young daughter as best he could. He had lost much in this war, his friends, family, wife and if she and Naruto hadn't intervened he would have lost his daughter too.
That left her fellow Jedi. She hadn't seen a lot of Dass Jennir. He had locked himself in his room since their first meeting and Aayla could feel that there was a monumental weight on his shoulders, one which worried him enough to ostracise himself from everyone else. She felt a need to talk to him, to help him, there were too few Jedi left, and they couldn't afford to ignore each other.
She took a deep breath and knocked on his door, there was a muffled affirmative to enter, and she did. His sleeping quarters was the same as hers and Naruto's, small with two beds and a small bathroom barely big enough for a sonic shower and sink. Dass lay on his bed, looking up at the ceiling, and once again she could feel his uncertainty and fear through the force.
"Knight Secura," he greeted evenly.
"Master Jennir," Aayla replied as she entered and sat on the opposite bed. She honestly didn't know the man very well, they had met during Temple debriefings a few times, but at most they simply greeted each other and moved onto their own circle of comrades. She could only remember meeting him a few times.
"What brings you here?"
"I just wanted to see if you were alright," she replied. "You've been holed up in this room since our arrival. The others are beginning to get worried."
"Is that so," he asked as he sat up and looked at her with green eyes. "I've just got a lot on my mind."
"Want to share?"
He smiled weakly, "I'm just at a loss on what we are supposed to do. You heard the reports right? How we're all these evil traitors to the Empire, how we were all involved in some nefarious plot to take over the Republic; so many of us killed off because of the words of a single man."
Aayla nodded, "We have all lost people we cared about Dass, for a time I thought I was the last Jedi left alive."
"Same here," he replied. "But Aayla it's more than that. I feel myself slipping more and more from the Jedi way with every passing day. There are times when I feel nothing but anger for those who did this to us, and on Esseles that anger was too much to bear."
Aayla leaned forward, clasping her slender hands together. "What happened?"
"That merchant, when he gloated about how he killed and ate all those people, for no other reason than to prove he could… something in me snapped. I saw red, and I just drew my pistol and pulled the trigger, I killed an unarmed man." Dass fell back onto his bed, looking up at the ceiling. "And when Bomo demanded to know why I pulled the trigger when he should have I just spewed out that I would take the burden for him, to cover up my own moment of bloodlust."
Aayla was silent for a moment, blatantly aware that Dass had been keeping this bottled up since they left Esseles a few weeks ago. "I had a similar experience." He looked at her then, and she decided to continue. "When I was on Felucia, and Order 66 was given me and Naruto were forced to defend ourselves, we killed the ARC Troopers who fired upon us and decided to try and find the others. I found Knight Offee exactly where she would have been."
She looked up at him with a sad smile, "They killed her Dass, blew her up with artillery. I knew Barriss when she was still a Youngling. She came up to me and asked for my help in building her first training lightsabre, we were friends ever since, and those bastards killed her without a second thought. I almost went mad. I would have cut them down until they cut me down."
"What stopped you?"
"I had a friend who kept me from running to my death, and when I was shot he saved me and nursed me back to health. If he wasn't there I would have lost myself. You shouldn't keep these things bottled up Master, that's as much giving the dark side an advantage as doing the deed."
"I'm guessing your friend was this Naruto Uzumaki?"
She smiled, "Yes."
"Aayla, what do you know about this guy, really?" he asked suddenly. "I know that he isn't affiliated with the Separatists or the Empire, but have you ever wondered who he is and where he comes from?"
Aayla frowned, but found that he was right. She didn't know much about Naruto from what he told her, but from what she saw him do. Before she could reply the ships comlink buzzed and the Captains voice echoed through the air. "Suit up everyone, we have arrived!"
Absently Naruto drew his blaster pistol, checking the weapons power cell as the rest of the crew prepared to disembark the ship. Schurk had asked for his help with this transaction, wanting to put what Aayla had said about him too the test. The power cell was full, and spinning the military grade pistol in his hand holstered it in a smooth motion.
He didn't like this.
The whole ordeal seemed to be a bit off to Naruto. A man who Schurk had done business with before had offered to buy their mysterious cargo for a good price. The meeting place, their buyers own personal fortress on Mimban, worried Naruto somewhat. If it was him he would have made the deal in a neutral location. Schurk understood his worries, and had already decided to secrete the box in the ice rings of the systems local gas giant to gauge his supposed client's geniality.
He was able to convince him to make a few changes to the original plans though. Jennir would remain on the ship while Schurk-Heren, Naruto, Mezgraf, Meek, Sniffles, Vakier, Greenbark and Aayla would head out to make the transaction, while the rest of the crew kept the ship warmed and ready, just in case they had to make an emergency take-off.
He was brought out of his reverie by Schurk's voice as he walked to the head of the procession. The crate was a perfect replica of the original box. "Alright, everybody ready?"
There was a chorus of affirmatives from the other five crewmembers before the Captain pulled the release latch, allowing the loading ramp of the freighter to lower to the concrete of their purchaser's villa. As Naruto disembarked, posture relaxing as the sun fell upon him. The blonde basked in the warmth as he took a few more steps from the Uhumele, allowing the rest of the crew and the mysterious cargo to go on.
"Hey Naruto," Aayla placed a hand on his shoulder, regaining his attention. He looked down at her, and she smiled. She was dressed in her usual attire, skin tight black leather pants and an armless shirt cut off midriff, showing her flat stomach, lightsabre strapped to a hidden compartment on her utility belt and a blaster pistol Mezgraf gave her holstered in plain view. "What's wrong?"
Naruto shook himself before grinning, "Just enjoying the sun on my face again."
Her smile grew softer, and with a last pat on the shoulder she moved on to rejoin the group. Naruto watched her go before shaking himself and moving to join her. The fortress was a large expanse, reminding him of an old castle with its high walls and watch towers. A single huge courtyard of dirt stood out in the middle, and it was here where the meeting place was too take place.
The Uhumele was parked behind them, and looking around the former Konoha Jōnin noticed that the vessel was parked in the middle of a worn landing pad, surrounded by the planet's jungle and marshland. Trails seemed to have been cut out for visitors to follow, but other than that the welcoming committee just wasn't there.
The Captain led the way, following the worn concrete path to their destination, all the while Naruto kept his eyes open, this place was perfect for ambushes. After five minutes of walking they came across their buyer's stronghold, and the blond idly wondered if every wealthy person in the galaxy lived in a fortress.
The fortress was held up on a large platform over the marsh, a courtyard leading to a bubble shaped structure, attached to a large slightly curved in fortress wall, for a moment he wondered if it was a fortress or a sports stadium. The pathway gave way to a railing-less bridge, vines and other fauna hanging onto the worn stone.
"This stinks," he heard Bomo say at last.
"It's a swamp," Meek piped up. "Decaying vegetation creates-"
Greenbark cut him off mildly, showing a little irritation. "No I mean this situation stinks. Heren, are you sure you can trust this Haka Hai guy?"
"No, I am not bomo," Schurk replied as they crossed the bridge and began walking to a set of worn stone steps, three figures waiting at the entrance to meet them. "But I know him of old, if that counts for anything. And he is the only buyer I could contact who agreed to the price who doesn't have Imperial connections. Let us hope for the best, and be ready for anything."
Naruto looked around as they entered the main courtyard of the plaza, noticing the wide open spaces with no real cover, and the several meter high walls curled around them. It was the perfect spot for a killing field, and he agreed with Bomo that this whole situation stunk.
The three figures became clear to him as she walked up the stairs, one was a human, another was a tall creature which reminded him of a lion with horns, a Gotal if he remembered Aayla's midnight lessons on the different Sentient races of the galaxy, and a creature he didn't recognise.
He had the stature of a human, but his face was weird with predatory eyes set in stalk like protrusions and a beak instead of a mouth. Gold rings and chains were pierced to blubbery cheeks. He wore a brown uniform with baggy trousers and a very expensive looking tunic, black utility belt around his waist with a blaster holstered.
The Gotal was taller, more muscular and much more imposing, wearing a dark purple shirt and trousers, black gloves, brown utility belt with holstered blaster and knee high black boots. The human beside him wore similar garb, and was armed with similar weapons. Mercenaries he guessed; hired guns.
The amphibious humanoid stepped forward, arms spread in greeting as the Captain went to meet him. "Schurk-Heren, you have prospered in the years since we last met!"
Heren responded with equal political tact, "Not as much as you, it would seem, Haka Hai, old friend. Nice place you have."
"It's built on a swamp," Bomo muttered.
The two sentient beings embraced, and whispered something which Naruto wouldn't have been able to hear had he not had the hearing of a fox.
"Shall we dispense with the pleasantries?"
"The sooner the better,"
The two sentient's parted ways, and Haka Hai clapped his three clawed hands together, two aliens appeared at the entrance, hoisting a large crate on their shoulders. "The payment you requested."
"You won't object if I wish to examine the contents?" Schurk asked idly as the crate was deposited before him. The two handlers scurrying back behind their boss.
Haka sighed a little too theatrically, "I expected that you would want to."
Aayla tugged on Naruto's sleeve, and he noticed her slowly reaching for her holstered blaster, "Get ready."
Naruto nodded, "He never intended to pay."
Kor ground his teeth as he slowly edged his blaster out of its holster, "Bomo was right, this does stink."
Men from several different races appeared along the ramparts of the courtyard, dozens of them armed to the teeth with blaster pistols, rifles, hold outs and even a few sported plasma rifles and rocket launchers. Naruto did a quick head count and surmised that they were surrounded and outnumbered by at least three to one. The enemy had superior firepower and high ground, while they were in the middle of a barren courtyard with next to no cover.
"Ah, I see, same old Haka," Schurk tried to remain calm as he spoke, and he did a fairly good job too. "It appears you have us at a disadvantage, if you would allow us to withdraw."
Their supposed buyer was walking back to his two lieutenants, voice full of confidence. "I'm afraid that doesn't really fit with my plans, old friend."
"This is great Heren," Bomo growled as he looked around frantically for cover. "I hope you pick your enemies better than your friends."
"Agreed," Naruto muttered as he began formulating backup plans. He had hoped to keep his true abilities secret from the crew, but it appeared the time for being subtle had passed. If he was to get them out of here alive then he'd need to really cut loss. In a way he supposed he would enjoy it. He hadn't unleashed any of his elemental Jutsu in so long.
Mezgraf and Vakier looked around with an eerie calmness one would expect from career soldiers. The towering feline was the first to speak, letting his Captain know the obvious. "It's three-to-one odds here Captain, but I'll follow your lead."
"Do you have your lightsabre?" Naruto whispered.
"Yes," she replied. "Though the only thing it would be good for at this range is blocking blaster bolts."
Before anyone could make a move a low hum filled the air, followed by a long shadow which stretched across most of the courtyard. Everyone looked up to see the huge metallic dorsal section of a Starship, slowly descending upon the tense standoff. For a moment Naruto thought it was the Uhumele, but quickly knew otherwise.
Schurk's voice could just be heard over the low hum, "Any ideas, Ko Vakier?"
"None that will help us, boss." The Blood Carver replied.
Suddenly the Gotal beside their supposed buyer drew his blaster pistol and levelled it at his 'employers' head. "A little change in plans boss, my boys and I are taking the crate."
There was shouting on the ramparts surrounding them as nearly a third of their ambushers turned on their fellows, pointing blasters and shouting for the others to drop theirs. Naruto immediately noticed a single difference between the two parties, the betraying group all wore the same rough design of uniform, light body armour of a dark purple. They looked more organised than the motley crew who were even now surrendering; seasoned mercenaries most likely.
Then it all went straight to hell, someone was fidgety enough to let off a single shot, followed by more as the two sides opened fire. Crimson and azure blaster bolts whipped and soared across the courtyard, mercs began to fall left and right, some part of their bodies steaming. He was vaguely aware of Bomo Greenbark yelling for them to run and in a flash Naruto drew his duel blaster pistols, along with everyone else and began running for cover, firing all the way.
They ran together towards a series of packed crates in the corner, jumping and winding around them before settling into defensive positions. But not all of them made it, Sniffles took a blaster bolt to the back, falling on his face and no longer moving. He was aware of Schurk swearing, followed by a roar of fury from Mezgraf.
The battle between the two mercenary sides seemed to be drawing to a close, with the Starship landing and the Gotals forces reforming into a very sloppy tactical retreat, two men pulling the decoy crate along with them. The courtyard was littered with the bodies of the dead and the dying, and the stench of burnt ozone filled the air.
"We need to get out of here before they remember we're here!" Aayla shouted over the sounds of war, firing a few rounds before ducking behind a crate.
"How, the exit is blocked!" Meek shouted back, covering behind the crate next to her.
Now or never, "Leave that to me… Kagebunshin no Jutsu!"
There was an explosion of white smoke which blinded the crew for a few short moments, and when it cleared most thought that they were seeing double, no triple, maybe quadruple. There wasn't a single Naruto anymore, there were at least twenty of him, crouching behind every crate and drawing duel blaster pistols from holsters, all sporting that same toothy grin, and when one spoke, all of them spoke.
"Alright, we're your cover so get up and run!"
The dozen mercenaries approaching their position never stood a chance as the platoons worth of blond clones rose and fired in perfect unison, four fell immediately and another two were hit as they retreated. When the coast was cleared they jumped and zigzagged around the crates running and firing as they made a dash for the bridge. The crew, at first completely shocked, were forced from it as the twenty replicas moved and took off with them, hiding themselves in the throng. Two stopped to pick up Sniffles prone body before taking off with them.
The real Naruto seemed to be ahead of them, and as they reached the threshold of the old crossing he looked back and raised his hand, showing four fingers followed by a wave towards a small section of crates. Four clones nodded and broke off from the main group, rushing towards the junction. The blaster fire had turned to them and Bomo was just able to make out three of the rear clones get hit by blaster rounds, only for their bodies to go up in explosions of smoke.
"Who the hell is this guy!" he yelled at Aayla as they continued to run.
The Twi'lek looked back at him, "He's a Shinobi!"
"We're clear Captain," Crys voice was like a breath of fresh air on the Uhumele, for immediately the rest of the crew breathed out a sigh of relief. It seemed that Haka and his small army of thugs were unable to give chase to the freighter, probably because of the civil war within his own ranks. That said the crew had quickly returned to the gas giant and regained possession of the Jebble Box before making the jump to hyperspace.
It was not all good news however; Sniffles had died on the way back to the ship. His body was in the vessels Medbay, draped over by a gray bedding sheet. Naruto and Aayla hadn't known the engineer for very long, but he seemed like a good guy, if a little jittery, and they were both saddened that he had died.
"Now then," Schurk began as he looked over at the duo with a tired smile. "There are some questions we would like you to answer for us, Naruto."
They were in the main room of the ship, Naruto sat on the worn main couch, looking over the entire crew since Crys had set the autopilot and strode in to join her comrades. Aayla was sitting beside him, and Jennir was leaning against a bulkhead at the far side of the ready room. Schurk and Ko were seated on the other worn couch, with the rest of the crew behind them.
"Ask away," Naruto replied, leaning forward and clasping his hands together.
"We know you're not a Jedi, but what are you?" Schurk asked a little bit of nervousness creeping into his usual crisp, accented voice.
"Like I explained I am a Shinobi," Naruto replied, clasped hands half covering his face as he spoke. "I'm not sure what planet I'm from, or where it is in the galaxy, but that's for another time. To answer your question a Shinobi is considered the main armed forces on our continent. We are men and women who have gained control of an inner network known as a chakra network, which through hand seals and extensive training gives us a vast array of abilities."
"Like when you made twenty perfect copies of yourself appear out of thin air," Mezgraf asked.
"The technique you say is called Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, or Shadow Clone Technique. It is a highly advanced B-rank Ninjutsu which allows the user to create a perfect, solid copy of himself. The number which can be made varies from person to person. Some can only make a few, while others can make dozens or hundreds depending on their reserves." Naruto explained this calmly, eyes not leaving the Captain's features. "That is just the beginning of our abilities. Shinobi are masters of almost every form of combat except firearms. We can manipulate and wield the elements, create clones, caste illusions, martial arts, swordsmanship, summon, time distortion only to name a few."
"Sounds like you guys are some kind of super-freaks," Bomo muttered, only to get a chuckle from the blond Jōnin.
"That's actually a perfect analogy, we are an army of super-freaks," Naruto replied with a smile. "Though it depends on our chakra reserves and our ability to control it, only a select few are truly what you would call a Super-freak."
"So you guys are like Jedi," Crys asked with a frown, folding her bare arms under her chest.
"Yes and no," Naruto replied, reaching up to scratch the back of his head. "Jedi use this weird all consuming thing called the force, Aayla showed me some of it. I'm not sure if we are force-sensitive, what we use is an inner resource of power and energy, something everyone has, though only a tenth of the population has the potential to wield it. Plus our ideologies are completely different. We aren't an order of warrior-monks, we were always just warriors."
"What do you mean?" Jennir spoke up with a thoughtful frown, eyes moving from Aayla to Naruto. The few times Naruto and him had met the man had been distant with him, like he wanted to know who he was but was unsure of how to ask.
"It's a long story, and a boring history lesson," Naruto smiled sheepishly.
Schurk leaned back, "We have time."
"Alright, I suppose to help you understand I should give you the basic history, not even Aayla knows this." Naruto replied, looking at his friend who in returned his glance with slightly widened chocolate orbs. "This is something I was going to tell you eventually Aayla, so join the class."
"Okay then, I guess this all started a few hundred years ago. I'm not sure when exactly because I slept through the first part of the lesson," he gained a few chuckles, relieving the tension somewhat. "There was a time when the continent I was from was in a state of continuous war, dozens of countries fighting against each other for the usual reasons, land, wealth, power, status, resources. This continued for hundreds of years, and as time went by certain clans began to emerge, men and women with unique abilities and powers. They became wandering mercenaries, selling themselves to the highest bidder to help fight their wars. In time they gained the name Shinobi, and were considered the best of the warrior classes."
"Out of these many clans two rose to true prominence, the Senju clan of the forest and the Uchiha clan. One had the ability to bend and control the elements to their will, the other possessed eyes capable of almost mythical power. It was inevitable that a rivalry would develop between the two. When one country hired the Senju, the opposing nation would hire the Uchiha and the two forces clashed on many battlefields over many wars. But one day the two clans met outside of the field of war, both tired of the never ending conflict they signed and forged an alliance, creating the first Ninja village, situated in the Land of Fire. This started a revolution, other clans joined their village and before long they became a superpower."
"Afraid of this new alliance other clans came together to form other villages, and the topography of the elemental nations was changed forever. Where once there were hundreds of small countries, now there were only a few dozen, with five in particular standing out. These were the lands of Fire, Wind, Water, Lightning and Earth, who in turn had the five most powerful Ninja villages, known as Leaf, Sand, Mist, Cloud and Rock respectively. Other smaller villages sprouted up in the surrounding countries and the Era of the Ninja was born."
Naruto pointed to his headband, the symbol of the leaf displayed proudly, "I was a Shinobi from Konohagakure no Sato, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Out of the five main Villages we were the largest and the strongest, and I was one of their most powerful Shinobi, a fully qualified Jōnin, S-class, known across the land as the Unpredictable."
"So you are basically descended from mercenaries," Dass spoke up with a frown; "Fighting wars depending on who you worked for."
"You guys sound like force-sensitive Mandalorians," Bomo chuckled. "I like it."
"That was how we started, but when the villages were founded we only answered to one man, our Kage." Naruto replied.
"Kage?"
"Leaders of the five great villages, only the five villages had the right to name their leader a Kage. Kage were the strongest of their respective villages, Hokage for Konoha, Kazekage for Suna, Mizukage for Kiri, Raikage for Kumo and Tsuchikage for Iwa. The other village leaders were simply named Sato-Osa. Since the founding we only answered to our Kage, who in turn shared the same status as the Daimyo of the country we fought for. We left our mercenary roots and became the special forces of the country we defended. We fought and died in wars of defence and offense for the people and rulers of our country."
"So, if you guys hadn't invented space travel, how did you get here?"
"I was hunting a couple of missing Ninja. They were responsible for the annihilation of my village and the deaths of all I held dear. I vowed on the graves of my family and friends to hunt them down and make them pay." Naruto looked at Aayla to see her look back at him with a shocked expression, and he smiled softly. "I know it's against the Jedi, but remember we were not Jedi, and to a Shinobi like me who lost everything all that was left was to disappear or swear revenge."
He looked back at his congregation, all waiting patiently for him to continue. "I finally tracked them down and engaged them. But they had a trap waiting for me, a series of specialised seals meant to destroy everything around them. Last I remember seeing was a bright flash, then I was awakened on the jungle world of Felucia, looking up at Aayla."
"You suffered a great deal my boy," Schurk muttered after a few moments of silence.
Naruto smiled weakly. His smile was hollow and false, showing the people around him the tortured soul within for the first time. "I lost everything."
Crys Taanzer sat in the pilot's seat of the Uhumele bridge, looking over navigational charts and sensory information. Trying to ascertain where their Captain would take them next to sell off their cargo. It was the only thing she could do to take her mind off everything she had heard over the last few hours. After their little lesson on the Shinobi Naruto had excused himself, said he was tired, and disappeared into his sleeping quarters.
The Captain had broken up the group after that, telling them all to get back to their duties and to leave the blond alone for a while. The middle aged Schurk-Heren seemed to know something of what Naruto was going through, telling a story which clearly bothered him. Crys had made her way back to the safety of her domain, as the pilot of the Freighter, and there she had stayed for the last few hours, running diagnostics and going over star charts.
This whole dilemma seemed to be one big mess, and it had all started on New Plympto when they had taken in Bomo Greenbark and Dass Jennir, then spiralled out of control when they had run into Aayla and Naruto, with Bomo's little girl in hand. She sighed as she inputted the last piece of data and fell into her bucket seat. Naruto's story had been one of hardship and loss, and in a way she knew what he went through, and what he was still going through, wounds like what he expressed never really went away.
She heard the hydraulic doors behind her open and out of the corner of her eye she saw a familiar tuft of long white hair. Dass Jennir walked over to the co-pilots seat and fell into it, hands already going over his personal access code for the console. "Captain says I'm to relieve you, Crys."
She nodded, but made no effort to move. Crys and Dass hadn't really talked since the incident on Esseles, when Bomo had let slip in anger that he was a Jedi. The Jedi Master became painfully aware that she was no fan of the Order, and had respectfully kept his distance. The blonde admitted she felt an attraction to him when he came aboard, but any hope of that was gone.
"Bomo told me what happened to you," he said, catching her by surprise.
She scowled lightly, "That Nosaurian doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut."
There was a moment of silence before the man beside her turned around, his green eyes seemingly piercing her soul. "I'm sorry about your son, Crys."
She lowered her head, but nodded. Crys had no idea of what she thought of him at present, a Jedi or the man she had gotten to know over the last few months. Despite how the majority of the crew felt about the Jedi she just couldn't, not after thinking how her son had died during their revolt. So instead of speaking to him she stood up and began walking towards the main doorway, but as they opened she was stopped by his gruff voice.
"About a year ago Master Yoda initiated a backup protocol, we had thought it up when the Clone Wars started but didn't implement it until the Separatists got too close to the Core Worlds for comfort." She wished she could have just walked out the door, but she stayed, listening to him, her mind swirling with how she felt for the Jedi and how she felt for him. "The protocol was for the younglings to be scattered to different enclaves across the galaxy. With the near end of the war many were recalled before the massacre, but a few were ordered to remain where they were after the Separatists attacked Coruscant."
She gripped the door frame hard, and looked back at him. Was he trying to give her a piece of hope, hope that her son was still alive out there? Her question was answered when he looked back at her and flashed a sad smile. "Don't give up hope yet Crys, there is a chance that your son is on one of those scattered enclaves, after the Captain gets rid of this crate I'll input the codes for some of the larger ones into the terminal and we'll start looking for them."
Crys turned her head ever so slightly, looking at him for a brief moment before walking out the door. She managed three steps before leaning against the bulkhead, placing a hand to her heart. She knew the chances of her son being alive were a long shot, one in a hundred, maybe even one in a thousand, but Dass' words gave her hope, no matter how she told herself differently.
She took a few moments to get herself under control, before strolling into the main living chamber of the Uhumele, to be faced by something she wished she didn't have to face just yet.
Another Jedi;
Aayla sat on the worn sofa, absently watching the steam rise from her cup of Caf. Her mind was moving a mile a minute, taking in where she was and everything that happened until that point. Naruto was chief among her thoughts, that blond haired human who had crashed into her life two months ago.
She was no fool, and she didn't like to be coddled. She knew for a fact that since the initiation of Order 66 she had been a mess, probably would have died in that hellish jingle world, and even if she had survived she would have been a shell of her former self. Feeling those you considered friends and family die could do that to a person.
She had almost gone mad, fallen back on her most basic instincts. In her weakened mental state she had allowed her most basic instincts to take over, and had killed many Clones in her anger. She had felt betrayed, alone, and utterly defenceless against the darkest of her emotions. She had struck out with her darkest thoughts when she had seen her friend's burn and die. She was under no illusions that the darkness would have taken her then.
Yet.
Who had kept her from falling into that state?
Who had been there for her when she needed the company the most?
Naruto.
He had been there for her when she needed it. He had snapped her out of her rage, dragged her from a battle where she would have undoubtedly fought and died in, when she had been shot and lay there dying he was there to save her and drag her too safety, and in the aftermath when she was in the deepest depths of her despair he forced her out of it by becoming her temporary teacher, and through it all she had made an incredible, once in a lifetime friend who had loyally stood beside her and protected her when she most needed it.
She was under no delusions that she owed her life to him, nearly a half dozen times over by now.
Yet what he had shared with the crew of the Uhumele today, his explanation of his people and their ideals was so different from the Jedi way that she was now at a total loss at what she should do. His people, the Shinobi, had no real safeguards against negative emotions. He had even told them that before he had met her he had been on a quest of death and revenge against those who murdered his family and loved ones. It was so against the Jedi way that to her, who had been taught the codes and laws of the Jedi since birth, it had been nearly terrifying.
A Jedi must feel no emotion, no love, no attachment, for those very emotions brought upon the darkest of desires and thoughts. The old mandate of the Jedi Order was to serve and protect the galactic body which was the Galactic Republic, to be the guardians and defenders of peace and justice. That was what she had been taught since she was a child, saved from slavery and amalgamated into the Jedi Temple.
Shinobi didn't seem to have any such safeguards, not if what he had told them was to be believed. From what he had told them the Shinobi were not as simple as the Jedi or the Sith, there was no one unifying force directing them to the darkness or the light, the Shinobi were too divided for that to happen. They just gave their allegiance to a Village, and fought for them until either they were too old or until their dying breath.
It was so against the Jedi way, yet now that she looked back she supposed that the Jedi couldn't really preach to them about the wrongs of their actions. They had been called upon to fight as officers for the Galactic Republics Grand Army in a war she was beginning to think was just one big trap for her Order. Weaken both their numbers and their influence, then force them to make a move, and when enough evidence was gathered herald them as traitors and Separatists to the Republic.
The Jedi had given up so many of their ideals and beliefs in this war. She remembered Master Yoda telling her when she was a youngling that once a Jedi had drawn their lightsabre they had failed in their purpose. A Jedi's strength is through the force, through negotiation and understanding, not through war and death. If that was true then they had lost their way the moment they had agreed to fight this war.
Aayla leaned forward and put her head into her hands, the same question repeating itself over and over in her mind.
What was she supposed to do?
A shadow was caste over her, and suddenly remembering where she was Aayla looked up to see the other grown female of her group. Crys Taanzer was beautiful in her opinion, a human woman in her prime with unblemished skin, long blonde hair, piercing green eyes and a physically fit figure. The woman's features were between curious and agitated.
Finally she sighed and walked over to the kitchen, pouring herself a cup of Caf from the still steaming jug. "What's wrong with you?"
Aayla herself leaned forward and picked up her own cup of Caf with both hands, blowing on the steam as Crys took a seat on the couch opposite her. "Just thinking is all."
Crys seemed to lounge on the sofa, "About what he said right?"
She looked up at her for a moment, before sighing and nodding her head. "Yes."
"Care to let me in on it?" Aayla was completely silent for a few moments, trying to get her thoughts in order if she decided to say yes. Taanzer spoke up before she could reply. "Are you going to kill him?"
She looked up at the ships pilot, eyes wide in horrified disbelief, "No."
"That's what you Jedi do isn't it? When faced with an order that uses these gifts for nefarious means you eliminate them? That's what most religious orders do when they see something different from what they do."
Aayla shook her head, tails swirling, showing the depths of her opinion, "No, no I was never going to hurt him, not after everything he's done for me!"
"Then why are you in here sulking?" she asked with a bit more bite than she intended.
Aayla looked up at her with the desperate eyes of someone who didn't know what they were supposed to do. Then she lowered her head and took a sip of her cup, completely defeated. This surprised Crys a great deal, she was expecting a great argument to take place about the pros and cons of the Jedi Order, she had almost begged this Knight to start one so she could let off all of the anger she had for the Republic, the Empire and the Jedi as a whole. But seeing this young Knight, maybe five years younger than her looking so lost and defeated, it just took all of her biting words and hateful thoughts away.
Finally the young Twi'lek before her spoke with soft words. "I was always taught about how to be a Jedi and how to use the force. I was an orphan, condemned to become a slave until my Master came and saved me from it. He took me with him, enrolled me in the Jedi academy and when I was old enough he took me on as his apprentice. He taught me so much, but he and his Master before him were considered something of rogues, because they all considered each other family when the Jedi Order preached against such attachments. Though I tried to be the perfect Knight of the Jedi I was not beyond feeling as such, and for so long I tried to tell myself that if I became a good Jedi then that was all I needed to be."
"Then Order 66 happened, I felt the deaths of all around me and it crushed me. I realised that no matter how much I try to hide it I did have people who were important to me, whom I considered friends and family, and whom I would have defended with my life." She looked at the cup for a moment. "That day took it all away, I felt everyone I loved die within a few minutes. It almost drove me insane, and I would have gone mad if he wasn't there."
She looked up at Crys with a smile, "Naruto saved my life, and when I felt like I was about to fall into the depths of despair he was there to pick me back up and force me onward. If he wasn't there then I would have died on Felucia, like all the others. But now that I know the origins of the Shinobi, how they fought and waged war against each other, how their teachings were so different from what I was raised on, I… I just-"
All of Crys' biting words were gone, all of her hatred at the Jedi, Sith, Republic, Empire, the entire universe for losing her son was temporarily forgotten. In that moment she didn't see a Jedi, she saw a broken young woman who had lost everything and was being kept up by a certain blond haired young man. She sighed and leaned back. "He has been there for you right? Then be there for him, from what we heard he had lost everything before he ran into you. You say he has kept you up, well I think you've been keeping each other up. For now forget about your blasted Jedi ideals and just be there, help each other, I mean does he feel evil to you!"
Aayla looked up at her in surprise for a moment, before a soft smile spread across her cerulean features. She got up, Caf forgotten, and walked over to their shared room. "Thank you, Crys."
Crys took a sip of her Caf and lightly scoffed, "For what, stupid Jedi."
As Aayla disappeared into the room she shared with their resident Shinobi, Crys became aware of a few figures looking over at her with a chagrined expression. Bomo Greenbark with little Resa gripping onto his trouser leg (she still hadn't warmed up to everyone yet), was grinning openly at her. "Looks like you've warmed up to a Jedi Crys."
Crys took a mouthful of Caf before muttering a few choice words to her fellow crewmate, "Who asked you?"
"-About fourteen hundred standard years ago ice miners on a planet called Jebble found it under a kilometre of ice. They couldn't find a way to open it, and scanners couldn't penetrate its skin. But they decided that it must contain something valuable, otherwise why try to hide it so well?" Schurk-Heren said as the crew peers into the huge crate which had given them so much grief. Within was an object roughly the same size as a coffin, seemingly made of a shining black substance which reminded him of marble. "One of the miners took the object for himself. As you know it will not be the last time blood was spilled for its possession."
"The story grew. First, that the object could only be opened by a force user… then that it contained an ancient treasure of the Jedi. Many feared that if the Jedi learned of its existence they would claim it for their own."
The crew looked over at Dass and Aayla when the Captain said this, and both frowned as they walked forward to examine it. The others all took a step back, including Naruto, watching as the two force users looked it over. Finally it was the elder Jedi who spoke. "While I am not well versed in our libraries I'm pretty sure I never heard of this device, what about you Aayla?"
The younger Knight frowned as she looked it over, and finally shook her head. "I've never heard of anything similar to its description, and like the Captain said the majority of information on this thing is based on rumour."
"So you're not going to claim ownership of this thing?" Crys asked with a frown.
Both looked too each other for a moment before Jennir answered, "Our order is endangered of becoming extinct. I honestly don't think any of us will care about this thing."
Heren cleared his throat, "Yes, well, as I was saying… over the centuries the Jebble Box, as it has become known changed hands many times, the very rumour of its contents driving its price ever higher. Collectors across the galaxy have spent their fortunes to acquire it and several years ago a war was even fought for it, which is how it came into our possession."
"So what do you think it is?" Bomo asked as the Captain resealed the infamous Jebble Box.
"Frankly I don't know, nor do I care at this point. I only wish to sell it and be rid of it, unless our two Jedi friends object?"
"We don't Schurk," Aayla spoke up.
"Well I hope this deal goes better than the last one," Bomo frowned, turning his eyes to the Captain as he spoke, something Heren noticed.
"And what is that supposed to mean, Bomo Greenbark?" he asked scathingly. "Do you think I don't feel the loss of Lynaliskar K'ra Synffulnimatta or even Janks!"
"We didn't lose Sniffles, Heren," Crys growled as she turned and walked to the exit. "He was killed by one of your friends."
Before the situation could get any more volatile the ships com snapped to life and the growling voice of Mezgraf could be heard from the bridge. "Crys, I need you up here. We're approaching our destination."
Crys just quickened her pace as she walked out the door, and for a moment after her departure the cargo bay of the Uhumele was silent, save for the hum of the ships engines. Finally Schurk broke the silence with a croaking voice, waving to their cursed cargo. "I assure you all, I have taken every precaution in setting up this sale."
"Yeah," Bomo replied, obviously not convinced. "That's what you said last time."
"Yes for which I have already expressed my regrets," Schurk replied with a frown. "This buyer is known to me personally-"
"Again," the Nosaurian interrupted. "What you said last time."
Naruto was aware of Aayla and Dass making for the exit as Bomo and Schurk-Heren continued their little conversation, he too began to edge towards the main room. "But this gentleman, Fane Peturri, has no ties with any criminal organisation. He is a scholar… a historian with a legitimate interest of antiquity. I've dealt with him before, but I never imagined he had the resources to afford what we're selling."
Naruto stopped midstep, spun around and walked until he was right in the Captains face. "Wait, hold the phone. Did you say you didn't think he had the resources for this buy?"
Schurk seemed surprised, "Yes my boy, why do you ask."
Naruto stood there with a deadpanned expression, before spinning around again and making his way towards the main room, shouting. "Aayla, Dass, get blasters and lightsabres ready, spread the word for the rest of them to do the same!"
"Naruto, what are you doing?" Bomo asked.
"Old Shinobi training, something Schurk said is causing alarm bells to ring in my head!"
"Where are you going!"
"To my room to get my weapons, kunai, shuriken, paper bombs, smoke bombs, flash bombs, katana, blasters and a lot of things which go boom!" Naruto was out the door by the time he finished his explanation.
"What was that about?" Heren muttered.
"I don't know," Bomo replied before walking in the same direction. "But I'm going to put Resa in the hidden compartments and get my blaster, after last time I'm willing to go on a little faith."
The surface of the moon was what one might think off as a graveyard, alien plant life could be seen here and there, and the ruined superstructure of several storey high city towers could be seen about a half kilometre away, but other than that the area seemed devoid of any life, and with it being nightfall the already stressed members of the Uhumele crew were now jumping at shadows, a lot of shadows.
"Where do you think this Peturri got the resources to make the buy?" Bomo asked as he walked a little ahead of the crate, a blaster carbine in hand and another latched to his back.
"From an inheritance, from a wealthy patron, does it matter?" Schurk replied in a growl, seemingly more relieved to be getting rid of this artefact than going over the small details.
"It might," Ko Vakier piped in from the left of the crate. "We don't want a repeat of last time."
Everyone was armed, Schurk had a blaster rifle slung to his back, Ko was holding a nasty looking repeater, even Crys was wielding a big blaster. Aayla and Dass flanked Mezgraf as he hauled the huge crate along, blaster pistols in hand and lightsabres carefully hidden. Naruto flanked the Captain, blaster pistols drawn and held casually at his sides. There would be no repeat of last time, not with two Jedi, a former Separatist freedom fighter, a Blood Carver and a Jōnin level Shinobi in the group.
That's what he hoped anyway.
"Ko Vakier is right. Stay on your guard." Crys said as she checked the magazine of her old rifle. Naruto doubted she was an expert marksman, but another gun hand couldn't hurt.
A building stood out, no doubt the base camp of this historian fellow, Fane Peturri. It was a ruined building, exterior only marginally better kept than the rest of the ruined cityscape. A wide staircase of rock, cracked and covered in a few vines led up to the arched opening, and standing at the top of the stone steps was a single figure, their buyer if Naruto wasn't mistaken.
"There's Peturri," Schurk spoke up as the group approached. "He came alone… as he promised."
Fane Peturri was a small man, his featurs wrinkled with old age, and an eye-piece over his right eye. His grey hair was swept back, and his equally grey moustache was well kept. He wore a simple refined longcoat of dark purple, with slightly lighter toned pants and shirt with black leather ankle boots. He stood with the refinery of an aristocrat, hands clasped behind his back as he watched them approach.
Something wasn't right.
"Fane Peturri," the Captain greeted.
"Schurk-Heren," Peturri replied evenly.
"You brought the agreed upon payment?"
The old man's face was the same stoic façade as he answered with a resounding, "No."
Naruto drew his pistol with lightning quickness and levelled it at the old researcher's head, his movements surprising the old man. "What do you mean no?"
A crimson blaster bolt flew from the shadows of the laboratory, slamming into Naruto's chest and sending him to the ground, losing grip on his twin blasters as he fell. The world seemed to slow down around him. He was vaguely aware of Aayla crying out his name before darkness overtook his vision.
Author's Note 1: Naruto and Star Wars are the property of Masashi Kishimoto and Lucas Arts respectively. I make nothing from this story.
Author's Note 2: Sorry for the next chapter coming a week later than normal, I had a lot of stuff going on with Uni and all, and because of that this story and all others will be put on hold for the next fortnight. Coursework is coming in thick and heavy, and I won't have the time to write anything until the semester ends in mid-November. Once it's all finished I'll give you guys a Chapter and for those of you who don't know Dark Times you will see what's in the mysterious Jebble Box.