Chapter 33
Moonlight Solstice
Naboo was a tranquil planet: one of beautiful meadows, misty forests and deep clear waters, brimming with life in almost every corner. There were two races living on this seemingly perfect world: human settlers who called themselves "The Naboo", and the indigenous amphibian inhabitants known as the Gungans. In the centuries since the landing of the first emigration ships, the two races had existed in accord with a fragile truce. This truce had turned into a strong alliance thanks to the invasion of Naboo by the Trade Federation nearly a decade and a half ago.
It was also the home world of the love of his life…a love which he had lost. Darth Vader lamented on this as he stood upon a balcony of his master's personal villa, looking down from his perch upon the impressive courtyard below. His master's villa was an impressive structure, built into a mountainside, surrounded by nothing but a seemingly-endless savannah that was dotted only by lush green hills. The main villa was built into the side of the mountain, with a courtyard carved from the plateau a dozen meters below, richly decorated with well-trimmed gardens, cobblestone pathways and a single fountain of perfectly-polished marble built into its centre, the water flowing from its spout giving the marble a magnificent shimmer that evoked an almost-benevolent feel.
There were also other, far less welcoming aspects to this private villa as well, such as the hidden blaster cannon emplacements built into the walls surrounding the courtyard, the umbrella shield defence which could be activated at a moment's notice, or the huge storage facility within the mountain's base full of artefacts and laboratories dedicated to researching the darkest aspects of the Force and beyond. The villa also garrisoned a battalion of Stormtroopers, the latest addition to the residence since his master assumed the mantle of Galactic Emperor.
It would take a small army to breach these walls, with superior air support and an atmospheric vessel whose firepower matched that of an Imperial-classStar Destroyer. The Sith Lord looked down upon the courtyard, noticing a small column of men and women marching into the central foyer, dressed in a simple black tunic and pants yet carrying themselves with the air of soldiers.
"Impressive, are they not?"
Vader did not even turn as his master joined him on the balcony, dressed in his usual black robes, hood over his head hiding his pale and terribly-burned features. The proclaimed first Emperor of the Galactic Empire looked down upon the soldiers assembled with a small smile, watching as they came to a stop, turning as one in their direction and standing at attention.
"Indeed…" Vader replied after a moment of hesitancy, "…though I was expecting more."
The Emperor did not look at his apprentice as his gaze fell upon the small contingent of men and women before him, "As did I, but it appears those with chakra coils are considerably more rare than we were led to believe. I have tested twenty percent of the Imperial army, including around ten percent of the Stormtrooper Corps and fifty percent of non-combatants. Of those several hundred thousand non-clones, only a few hundred had the sufficient chakra coils to be considered potential Shinobi."
"Non-clones?" Vader asked.
The Emperor's jaw tightened somewhat, "It appears that the clones do not possess strong enough chakra coils for Shinobi training. This can either be through some deficiency in the cloning process or simply the fact that Jango Fett did not have the necessary coils to use chakra. Either way, as candidates for potential shinobi, the clones are useless."
"I see," Vader allowed as he noticed movement in the courtyard.
"This is an experiment, Lord Vader…" the Emperor informed as he too looked down upon the courtyard, "…an experiment to see if it is possible to gather and use such a force. With a trained small army of such troops at our disposal, our enemies will fall before us like blades of grass."
"But the other Shinobi is still out there, and with each new piece of information we gather, we learn that he has chosen the side of the Jedi…" Vader said, hooking his thumbs under his belt as he spoke, "…what if he can train the survivors to utilise his abilities?"
"Hmm…yes, his latest little escapade with you on Kessel does indeed show that he is fighting alongside our enemies…" Sidious hummed, "…however, there is no need to worry yourself about a horde of Jedi who can use this chakra network. I have been doing some research on the possibility. Of the few thousand Force-sensitive potential recruits I have checked only a small percentage of them also have a chakra pool. In fact, it is more common among those individuals who do not have Jedi potential."
Vader rolled the idea in his mind, seeing immediately what this meant, "The Force and this chakra system are not linked?"
"Very good, Lord Vader…" the Emperor smiled under his hood, "…there are those, mind you, capable of wielding both, but that is rare, and all research points to the likelihood that the two are completely separate from each other. I have checked this man's midichlorian level, and it is abysmally low: only a thousand or so."
Darth Vader turned this information over. He was not worried of any outside listeners to this conversation. The entire villa was airtight, swept for listening devices at least four times a day and guarded by only the newly-crowned Emperor's most loyal Guardsmen. This was the most secure location in the entire Galactic Empire.
"What else has your research yielded, my master?" Vader asked.
"Oh…" the Emperor drawled in a grandfatherly way, "…are you curious to see if you are able to harness this chakra network, Lord Vader?"
Vader said nothing.
"I have had tests performed on all high-ranking officers and politicians in the Empire, including you, and I have found that in your current form, you would not be able to utilise it. Your injuries have most likely destroyed or severely damaged the fragile strings of the circulatory system, as well as your coils. Even if they were fully intact, your chakra network is quite weak; you could probably utilise some basic abilities, nothing more."
"And you, my master?"
"It would seem that age also plays a role in the ability to utilise chakra…" the old man replied with a humming chuckle, "…it appears that if the chakra circulatory system is not activated, then it will slowly degrade until it becomes useless. If I did have the ability, then it is long since gone."
"Have you checked earlier samples of your blood?"
"I do not dwell on the past, Lord Vader…" Sidious interrupted simply, "…I only focus on the here and now. If I once had the ability to do so, it makes little difference to me."
Vader nodded, deep in thought until a flicker of movement caught his eye. He looked down upon the figure, black cloak flailing behind him as he walked towards the column of potentials. This man, simply known as the Assassin in the Imperial Archives, was a complete unknown to those not considered members of the Emperor's inner circle; even Vader himself was not made privy to half of this man's details, and he did not require it.
Vader learned all he needed to know on Kessel, seeing this man slay a Jedi Master before he knew what hit him, moving with such speed and striking with such precision that even he would consider the man a challenge to defeat. He did not forget that skirmish they had on the rainy planet of Jabiim, when this man, malnourished and delirious, was able to systematically annihilate at least three platoons of clone troopers as well as a trio of Imperial Shadow Guardsmen in the time span of a few weeks.
He was a foe to be reckoned with.
The man, who now called himself Sasuke Uchiha, came to a stop before the first man on the far right side of the column, and slowly scrutinised him before moving onto the next one, and the next. One by one, he inspected each and every member of this two- to three-hundred strong column, a process taking hours, yet Vader and Palpatine waited until three quarters of the way through his inspection when the Emperor turned and bade his new apprentice to follow.
Vader followed the Emperor without question, through his main penthouse and into the elevator at the end of a long and narrow hall, ignoring the slight feeling of inertia as the vibro-lift took them from the top floor to the courtyard level in a matter of a handful of seconds. The Emperor exited, and he followed his master, flanking him as the indomitable shadow he was.
They entered the courtyard, walked down the cobblestone pathways and past the masses of flowers and trees, Vader kept pace with his master as they exited the thick foliage and into the courtyard proper. The Assassin was waiting for them at the front of the column with a data-pad in his hand.
He waited until the Emperor was right in front of him, and Vader noticed that, like himself, this man stood nearly a head taller than Darth Sidious. He looked upon the Emperor of the Galactic Empire with calculating, dark eyes of onyx before handing him the data-pad. Palpatine took it from him, activated it, and scrutinised the names, frowning for a short moment before handing them back to the Assassin.
"There are only twelve names on this list," the Emperor said with a frown.
"Mm," the Assassin replied evenly, not looking the least bit intimidated that he was before a man who commanded nearly a million worlds.
"Why have you chosen so few?" Palpatine asked.
"They interest me…" the Assassin replied, simply and to the point, "…that is all."
Palpatine's eyes met and held those of the Assassin for a long moment, before the Emperor sighed and turned around, "Very well. Do with them what you wish, but I want my force of Shinobi, boy. Do not forget that."
"Hn…" was the Assassin's only response, and after a moment Palpatine sighed and turned around, walking from the chamber and allowing the clone officers to call out the names of those his newest servant had chosen. The rest would be sent back to their posts until they were called upon again. Vader hesitated for a moment, before spinning on his heel to join his master.
"This is most disconcerting," Palpatine murmured.
"Why, my master?" Vader asked.
"Because those twelve were the most rebellious on the list, each of them has at least three court-martial appeals and five injunctions upon them by their commanding officers…" Palpatine replied as he continued to walk, "…he is gathering those who have a grudge against authority, those with histories as outcasts, rebels and those who are otherwise the dregs of society."
"Should I dispose of them?"
"No, let us instead see how this plays out…" Palpatine replied, with a serpentine smile spreading across his features, "…the results could be rather…interesting."
Vader did not respond, choosing instead to look back to see the Assassin standing in the middle of the courtyard, looking at him with piercing eyes of onyx as the few hundred potentials filed away to leave twelve recruits, ten males and two females, all of near-human or humanoid descent, standing rank and file, six across and two deep.
He felt it in his very bones and mechanics as he looked into the Assassin, Sasuke Uchiha's, eyes. They were making a mistake…a very grave mistake.
Naruto sighed as he sat cross-legged on the ground just outside his tent, pouring over the information displayed on the data-pad in his hand. Midnight was just approaching, an ancient glow-lamp which was softly swaying back and forth overhead his only source of light besides the glow from the data-pad itself. Aayla was in their tent, sleeping surprisingly soundly considering the life-altering decision that had just been forced upon her a few short hours earlier. Naruto didn't want to wake her, especially with how exhausted and spent she had been since returning from the council chamber. He had to physically walk her from the chambers to their tent, only choosing not to carry her because he knew she wanted to gather and use as much of her own strength as she possibly could – even though she was no longer a Jedi, she still wanted to carry herself like one.
As he studied over the data-pad and reflected back on the day's events, so many different emotions coursed through him for several different reasons. He was angry that Yoda had given Aayla such a black and white choice, but he couldn't help but feel relieved that it was Yoda himself giving her the choice instead of the Jedi High Council in its entirety. Had the whole Council been involved, the outcome could have been far worse – not simply for Aayla, but for many others, and for the Jedi Order as a whole. Who knew what could have happened had Tholme and Tra'Saa's relationship, and their feelings for each other, had come to light? What was left of the Order could have potentially fallen apart at the seams if its members were forced to follow a code that two of its top leaders were violating, if only in spirit. Even worse, Naruto knew that it could have caused some of the more overzealous Councillors to call for a witch hunt!
What might have happened to Dass Jennir? Would Quinlan Vos and his new family have been made targets? Such a witch hunt would never have been justified, anyway, but that was the last thing that the Jedi Order, essentially an organism on life support, needed right now. At least the leader of the Jedi had the discretion to give her the choice apart from any others overhearing. He could also see why the aging master reacted as he did, with similar situations before. He still felt angry though; Yoda wasn't looking at the perspective from every angle – the code would never allow a Jedi to have sufficient relational experience upon which to draw to consider the other side of the coin.
In Naruto's mind, it was the Code itself that was the problem. Yoda and the other Jedi Masters might argue that fear, anger and hate were the path to what they called the 'Dark Side of the Force', but Naruto knew better. There were times when fear was wise, and caused a person to better prepare for the road ahead. There were certain injustices and evils to which anger was a good, just and right response. They claimed that emotions were what led a person to evil, yet it was those very same emotions, their consciences, that served as a person's guide in distinguishing moral right from wrong, Jedi or no. And it was those very ideas of moral right and wrong that statute laws, such as the Jedi Code, were founded on.
He could hear Kakashi-sensei telling him, "Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon so much as one of their comrades are far worse than scum." It was a lesson that he took to heart. It was that very lesson that caused him to keep chasing after Sasuke Uchiha, and while that pursuit ended very badly, it only served to teach him to better know when to stop considering someone a comrade. The lesson was still true, and it would never cease to be any less true to him. The Jedi Code did not allow for such a lesson, and if the choice between following the Code and standing by a comrade ever came up, the very mindset of the Jedi Order would cause the Jedi to make the wrong choice, in Naruto's opinion.
He remembered Haku's words, "When you are protecting what's precious to you – that's when you become truly strong." The very words that laid the foundation for Naruto's ninja way seemed so contradictory to the Jedi way. If emotion was not allowed, nothing could truly be considered precious. Granted, the Jedi were able to circumvent this line of reasoning by forging "familial" bonds within the Order itself, but even then, those bonds still seemed to be easily broken simply because of the Jedi Code. It was almost like they were asking for people to succumb to this 'Dark Side' that they all preached about like some bogeyman. When considering the Jedi Order as a whole, he felt frustrated to no end – its precepts contradicted themselves and made no real sense to him!
He returned his full attention to his data-pad, grateful to Aayla and Celeste for providing him with the information on it: Jedi lightsaber fighting styles and katas. Before coming to Kashyyyk, he had expressed an interest to the women in his life about learning some of their basic lightsaber forms, feeling that his chakra reserves could act as a substitute, if not an actual catalyst, for the Force. Even in his interest, he found that he was simply too agitated to focus on the subject material at the moment.
Sighing in resigned frustration, he turned off the data-pad and set it aside. He looked up at the glow-lamp, gently swaying back and forth before looking to the entrance of the tent. He was a little worried about leaving Aayla given the state she'd been in when he laid her down, but she was asleep at the moment. Ahsoka was sleeping in the bedroll across from her, and Celeste was meditating in the low lit quiet of the night a few yards away from him.
He stood up, turned off the glow-lamp and quietly left his comrades' sleeping area, squinting at the low light surrounding him as he walked. Mobile glow-lamps and a few arcane fire torches produced the light outside, though it was dim and cast long and reaching shadows everywhere. He took a step forward, noticing the silhouettes of guards and watchmen here and there, keeping watch over the camp just in case anyone, or anything, unwelcome, managed to slip through the Wookiee patrol perimeter.
His mind was blank as he traversed the camp. He noticed Celeste was so deep in meditation that she seemed not to notice him, and decided not to interrupt her as he continued on his way. The sight of the Jedi Shadow made him think. Celeste had said that she came from an order which allowed such things as marriage and attachment, where the Jedi had families and bonds. What could have happened between then and now to make the Jedi order of this timeline so introverted, what kind of cataclysmic event or series of events would force them to amend the code in such a way?
He kept walking, destination unknown, weaving through the mass of tents and torches until he found himself on the edge of camp. He was greeted by the shimmering surface of a lake, wisps of vapour rising off of its surface in the night's cool humidity. The natural canopy had parted here, allowing the fluorescent light of at least two of Kashyyyk's moons to bathe the still surface, setting the rising vapours slightly aglow.
Naruto growled low in his throat as he collapsed onto the ground at the edge of the lake, glaring at the still water as a hand came up to rub against his face. The tranquillity wasn't helping his mood much, either. He thought about it for a long moment, before a throaty chuckle reverberated from his throat. He was never the type to remove his pent-up annoyance by thinking of tranquillity and peace; that was Aayla's way. He was the type who needed action.
He rose to his feet, taking off his jacket and sandals and dropping them to the ground in a pile before he concentrated the chakra into his feet and took a step onto the lake's surface. He felt the water lap at his soles as he walked until he was in the approximate centre of the pool, looking up at the light of the two visible moons for a few brief moments before stretching his back, neck and shoulders, cracking the joints beneath them.
He fell into a ready stance and began his flowing dance. He hopped from foot to foot, lashing out with punches and kicks, spinning and jumping and kicking as he practised the Frog Katas he had learned from Gamabunta and the Toads. Yes, this was working – this is what he needed in order to calm his nerves and clear his mind: his harmony came from synchronized motion, not from sitting still. He was always a kinaesthetic person, learning through his body, thinking with his body. If he could move, he could think – it was that simple for him. As he pondered what he was doing, he idly remembered the good memories with his friends: toasting his first cup of sake with them when he was eighteen, practicing with Gamakichi and Gamatatsu, laughing, yelling and joking with each other. His good memories were foiled when he remembered his last meeting with the toads, and the argument he had gotten into with Gamabunta and his siblings, Gamahiro and Gamaken.
The last words he remembered hearing from the smoking toad boss stung, even now: "Jiraiya would be disappointed in you, boy."
He had been so full of anger and revenge that he ignored the advice of his closest allies, and pushed them away. He would regret that for the rest of his life. The toads never really broke off contact with him, but he never used them in battle ever again, and when he was on Felucia he decided to try and see if he could summon them. His heart ached when the summoning array appeared…only to produce nothing – not even a puff of smoke. If Aayla hadn't been there with him, Naruto would have probably given into his despair after the first failed attempt, plummeting further with the second, then the third, fourth, fifth and sixth.
He couldn't summon the toads anymore. He couldn't stand before Gamabunta and his brothers, fall to his knees and beg their forgiveness. He would never see his two friends Gamakichi and Gamatatsu ever again. Yet another item to add to his list of deep, unsalvageable regrets.
He finished the last Kata, noticing that he had worked up a sweat, taking deep breathes of air as he once again looked up at the bright ethereal light of the twin moons, seeing that he had been at it long enough for them to have shifted in the sky, closer to the edge of the open canopy. He sighed, reaching up with his hand to slick back his messy locks of blond hair as he made his way back to the lakeshore and his discarded clothes.
He saw a dark silhouette sitting beside his jacket and sandals, sitting on the edge, looking at him. Naruto showed no signs of surprise as he advanced, as the familiar visage of one of the men he had met in the Jedi council chambers became plain within the silhouette, wearing a trimmed beard and chestnut-coloured hair. He searched for a name in his mind, finding one as he crossed the threshold between water and sand.
"Master Kenobi," Naruto inclined his head as he picked up his jacket.
"Jōnin Uzumaki," Obi-Wan greeted in turn, also inclining his head, "I see you couldn't sleep, either."
"Yeah, needed to work off a few frustrations," the blond replied as he tossed his sandals to the ground and put them back on, "Some people, like you Jedi, need quiet to clear their heads; I need to work up a good sweat so that I can either stop thinking about things, or start thinking about them."
"Physical meditation?" Kenobi inquired with a knowing smile.
"That's probably the best label for it," Naruto allowed with a good-natured laugh as he put on his long-coat, "I was never able to fully stay still for 'conventional' meditation; I always found that I think best when I'm moving, so fighting imaginary opponents is something I find therapeutic."
"I can see that it seems to work for you," Obi-wan remarked with a nod as he looked out over the lake. Naruto watched him for a moment before deciding to leave. He managed three steps before the Jedi Master's voice caught up to him, "Stay a moment, if you would?"
Naruto looked back at the legendary Negotiator, studying him for the longest moment before shrugging and retracing his steps. For some reason, Naruto found that he liked this man. Even though he hadn't known him for more than a day, he couldn't help but liken the man to his old friend Shikamaru Nara, but with a more positive outlook. He had that same astute, piercing gleam in his eyes, as though no detail went beneath his notice, and his mind was always working, strategizing, planning. At the same time, he also seemed to possess many of the qualities of Old Man Sarutobi, the Third Hokage that he'd come to love almost as a grandfather: wisdom gained through years of hard living and seeing gruesome events, but somehow able to pull the very best lessons from his experiences. He also seemed to possess the old man's near-infinite patience.
He sat beside Obi-wan, looking out over the calm surface of the lake. For a time they sat in a companionable silence, then the Jedi spoke up, "How is Aayla?"
"You know already?" Naruto asked.
"The whole Council knows, and it won't be long until gossip filters through into the rest of the Conclave," Obi-wan replied with a tired sigh, "How is she?"
Naruto sighed, scratching the back of his head as he looked up at the starry sky, "Hurt…grieving…a bit scared, I think. She had been a Jedi for so long, and drew such pride from being a part of the Order. She tries to put on a brave smile, but I know her very well. She's not angry, but at the same time, I can see she feels betrayed…it's that much worse for her that it was Master Yoda of all people who forced her to this."
"I am sorry to hear that," Obi-wan replied after a moment, following Naruto's gaze to look up at the sky, "but not really surprised."
"You know her?" Naruto asked.
"Yes, she is a good friend," Obi-wan nodded in response as he looked over at Naruto, "I hope you'll continue to be there for her."
"Without a doubt," Naruto replied, looking back at the Jedi master with conviction, "She is one of my most precious people, themost precious person."
Obi-wan allowed a smile, "I am glad to hear that."
Naruto looked at him for a long moment, "Why punish her?"
"It is the Code…" Obi-Wan began.
"It's wrong," Naruto interrupted darkly.
Obi-wan sighed, "It's there for a reason. Anakin Skywalker is living proof of that."
"I'm not so sure about that," Naruto replied as he looked over the lake for a long moment, "He was backed into a corner; felt he had nowhere else to go to but a madman. Tell me…" Naruto turned his gaze to Obi-Wan, "…if he told you or Yoda or someone else among the Jedi as they are now, what would the Jedi Order have done to him? If he felt he could come to you with the problems he was facing, might things have turned out differently?"
Obi-wan sighed tiredly, and Naruto saw it, a true feeling of numb loss in his eyes. In addition to being reminded of Shikamaru and Sarutobi, he had felt something else when he saw this man, a familiarity with him that he could not place until now. This man reminded him of Kakashi, as well, as he seemed to be truly haunted by the choices he made that ended badly.
Obi-Wan sighed, "I ask myself those very questions, every single day, but the whole story is much more complicated than that. I don't know if you knew this, but I was actually Anakin's Master when he was a Padawan."
Naruto adopted an intrigued frown, "Is that so?"
Obi-Wan nodded with a sad, nostalgic smile, "Indeed; his talent and power were astonishing, even as a young boy. Sadly, though, he was always ruled by his emotions, and he allowed them to consume him. His degree of power and talent also made him quite arrogant. Palpatine used Anakin's failings to his advantage, and made sure that those of us who could reach out to him were nowhere near him in his darkest hour: myself, his friends, we were all scattered across the galaxy, too far away to see what was happening."
Naruto was silent for a long moment, "Well, we all have our own buttons that can be pushed, and I can speak from personal experience that he should have known better than to allow his passions to run rampant the way they seemed to, but part of the reason that Anakin Skywalker fell is because he had no one to turn to. The Jedi Code is too strict against attachments, and if what Aayla told me was right, then he loved being a Jedi. I'd wager he didn't want to take it to you or the Council, feeling that when you all found out that he was not only married, but expecting a child as well, he would be expelled from the Jedi Order. I'm only telling you my perspective, though."
"And what you say is true…from a certain point of view; one of the reasons I actually came here was to ask for your perspective on such matters. Aayla was a proud Jedi until today, and at the same time, she didn't renounce her pride as a Jedi, but neither did she recant her position or her feelings towards you. Knowing Aayla as I do, I can't help but be highly curious as to how you brought about such conviction in her, at the very least," Obi-wan said, "However, we all have our own perspectives as well, and those points of view can be interpreted in different ways. Others would say that emotional attachment can lead to such hardships, and the Code needs to be stricter when it comes to them."
"I have so many problems with that line of reasoning that I don't even know where to start. I think that placing such sanctions and restrictions into a statute encourages the Jedi to be emotionally stunted. Master Hondurra's behaviour today was proof of that – he didn't know how to handle the rage he was feeling or what to do with it. The rest of those assembled here were mostly in complete despair and frightened out of their wits – they didn't know how to handle it, either. One doesn't combat extremes by forcing extremes in opposite directions, one combats extremes by simply adding elements that brings about balance…without completely losing what brought about the extreme before the balancing element was introduced in the first place. Feelings are there, whether the Code says they can be or not – instead of ignoring them, I think Jedi need to be taught how to listen to them, and pay attention to the lessons they convey."
"You'll get no argument from me, my friend," Obi-Wan admitted.
"Besides," Naruto continued, "The Code can't exactly get much stricter, can it?"
"There were loopholes, which might be rescinded should we ever return," Obi-wan replied, "The Jedi of Corellia were allowed to form attachments and relationships, and when it came to certain species, extenuating circumstances could be made, however those few loopholes could be rescinded if a few hardliners get their way."
"From talking to you, I get the impression that you're not such a hardliner," Naruto credited the man.
"No, I am not," Obi-wan replied as he looked upon him with a sad smile, "I'm not sure why I'm about to tell you this, but I fell in love with a fellow Jedi. We were planning to leave the Order together once the war concluded."
Naruto's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Obi-Wan reached inside his cloak, around his neck and pulled out a beautiful jewel that glowed blue in the low light, "This warming crystal was hers, and she gave it to me shortly before she died."
"I'm sorry," Naruto offered in condolence.
"Thank you," Obi-wan replied as he placed it back under his tunic.
"What was her name?"
"Siri, Siri Tachi," Obi-wan replied, looking up to the starry darkness with a forlorn expression that time would never heal, "She was an exquisite creature: golden hair, sapphire eyes, a smile that seemed to light up the room, but boy was she headstrong and outspoken – it sometimes made it very hard for her to work with others…but I loved that about her. I thought she was the most beautiful woman in all creation; I still believe that down to my very soul, and I will never forget her for as long as I live."
Naruto smiled as he looked out over the lake, "I know exactly how you feel. Before I came here and found Aayla, I was in love with a woman named Hinata Hyuuga. And she was gorgeous in every way…she had the shiniest indigo hair, and the most warm and caring lavender eyes you'd ever see. It's funny, though…she was always very modest, and quite shy about her body, always wearing baggy clothes, never made herself up…she didn't really need to, though. It was her death at the hands of a once-friend that started me on what you would call 'the Path to the Dark Side'."
Obi-Wan nodded, intrigued at Naruto's story and how well he could relate to his own, "I became consumed with vengeance, isolating myself from friends and allies. There was even another woman that I grew to love, and who had also grown to love me back – her name was Mei Terumi. Oh, she was so different from Hinata, but no less beautiful. Where Hinata was around my age, Mei was almost twenty years older," Obi-Wan raised a bemused eyebrow at that admission as Naruto continued, "where Hinata was shy, Mei was anything but. Mei Terumi had the most fiery red hair you'll ever see, this…" Naruto's hands came up to the area around his head so that he could give Obi-Wan an almost visual perception of what he was trying to say, "…wild, beautiful mane of hair that flared out in all directions and grew all the way down to her ankles, and she had enchanting green eyes that were…playful and mischievous; one wink from her could turn any man's knees into jelly!"
Obi-Wan gave a quiet laugh, seeing Naruto's enthusiasm at describing a woman he could only picture as being quite the sultry temptress.
Naruto's expression grew darker as he continued in a more subdued tone, "Sadly, I was so focused on my anger and on getting revenge that I never gave myself a chance to find out what might have been between her and me. As I had finally attained my vengeance, my enemies had the last laugh as they performed a ritual that actually brought me to this galaxy, here. And it was at that moment when I first encountered Aayla; right as Order Sixty-Six had been implemented. We just…became friends and helped each other through everything after that – I helped her to grieve her fallen comrades, while she helped me to adjust to life in this galaxy. We grew closer, and, well, I don't know if I could tell you exactly when it happened, but we both fell in love with each other, despite both of us being afraid to for different reasons. She'll tell you that it's the feelings she developed for me that actually kept her from proceeding towards the Dark Side, but it's just as true that falling in love with her is what helped me to finally let my vengeance go, so in a sense, we're living proof that such attachments can keep a Jedi from falling to the Dark Side, and even bring you back from it."
Obi-Wan smiled in wonder at this, "I'm glad you told me your tale, Naruto; it adds a perspective worth considering. Oddly enough, I'm reminded of the last conversation that Anakin and I had before we fought. He told me that anyone who wasn't for him was against him, and I told him that only a Sith deals in absolutes. But I find myself wondering now: is that not exactly what we've been doing, particularly with regards to Aayla Secura today? If you'd permit me, I'd ask a question of a personal nature…"
"Please," Naruto permitted with a nod.
"Do your feelings for Hinata or Mei…cloud your feelings for Aayla in any way?"
Naruto frowned in thought, "Fair question."
He thought for a few moments before speaking, Kenobi allowing him the time to collect his thoughts, "My feelings for all of them are different. Hinata is my first love. Mei is my lost love. Aayla? She's my true love. Hinata and Mei will always have their own places in my heart, but if I could go back and do it all over again with the chance of things ending differently, I wouldn't change a thing. I love Aayla Secura more than anything else, and I wouldn't give her up for anything."
Obi-Wan couldn't help but sigh happily for his new friend, "I wish you all the happiness in the world, Naruto."
Naruto nodded, "Thank you…Obi-Wan. So, you don't believe those feelings are wrong for a Jedi?"
"No, I do not," Obi-Wan admitted without shame.
Naruto smiled as he stood up, offering his hand to the Jedi Master with whom he had just forged cameraderie, "Good to hear. I look forward to working with you, Obi-Wan Kenobi."
Obi-Wan stood in response, shaking the man's hand, "And I you, Naruto Uzumaki."
Naruto made it a few steps, leaving his new friend to think, before stopping and turning around as he remembered something, "I almost forgot - I have something I need your help with."
Obi-Wan looked up at him for a moment before nodding, "What do you need?"
Naruto reached into the pocket of his coat, pulling out the data-pad he had been reading earlier, "I've been doing a little research, and I'm wondering if there are any Jedi capable of looking into matters of anatomy, perhaps an established healer?"
"There aren't many left," Obi-wan allowed as he rose to his feet, accepting the data-pad, "What do you have in mind?"
"I wanted to check the blood work of all Jedi, and any non-Jedi present for a chakra circulatory system," Naruto explained, watching as the High Jedi Master turned on the small computer and looked through the screen of information, "Within that data-pad is something I've been working on with Aayla and Celeste over the last few months. It's a screening test to check and see if anyone might have the capacity to learn shinobi arts."
Obi-wan studied some of the information, "Hmm, I will check around for you. This is a rather fascinating prospect."
"There is also a sample of my blood within it," Naruto added, "I want it to be tested for a midichlorian count."
"Thinking of becoming a Jedi?" Obi-wan asked wryly.
"Nah, not the life for me, at least as it is right now," Naruto chuckled, bringing up his hands, "Just checking is all."
Obi-Wan wasn't sure if he should feel insulted or hopeful at that comment. Opting to err on the side of feeling hopeful that Naruto might become a Jedi in the future, he studied the data-pad even more closely and murmured, "This is very thorough work."
"Aayla and Celeste did most of the work; I just gave them the necessary scrolls and threw in what I knew," Naruto replied as he sheepishly scratched the back of his head, "I'm still getting the hang of electronic machines and computers. Will you look into it for me? A High Jedi Master is more likely to get the needed help than an unknown."
"I will do so," Obi-wan replied with a nod as he shut off the data-pad and hid it in the folds of his robes. He looked up at Naruto with a wan smile, "And please tell Aayla that I'll be coming over to see how she is doing."
Naruto sighed in a little relief, "I think she'll be happy to hear that. I was kind of worried that she'd lose all contact with the Order."
"Whether she is a Jedi or not, she is still my friend," Obi-wan replied, "as are you, now…and if she or you ever need my help, you need but ask."
Naruto smiled, shaking his head in bemusement before throwing out his hand, repeating what he said barely a few minutes before and meaning it more this time, "Likewise. Once again, I look forward to working with you, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi."
Obi-wan smirked as he took this tall blond man's hand and shook it once again, "And I you, Jōnin Naruto Uzumaki."
He entered the tent silently, like a ghost, melding with the shadows and vanishing from all perception. The tent was fairly large, able for four people to rest without crowding it too much, and at the moment there were only two people within, both asleep. He recognised the young Ahsoka Tano immediately, and reflected that she hadn't changed since the last time he had seen her.
Aayla was in the other bed, also in a deep sleep. With a little effort, the diminutive creature made his way over to her bedside. With a wave of one gnarled three-clawed hand, a chair lifted from its place and floated to him, settling down with barely a scrape of sound. He climbed onto the piece of furniture and for a long moment simply surveyed her sleeping form.
Yoda was an old creature, living in the latter half of his eighth century. In eighteen years he would be nine hundred. His race was notoriously long lived. However, even by their standards, he was older than almost any other. He had been the Grand Master for almost three centuries of this life. He had tutored countless students and raised many young men and women of many different races to become fine Jedi.
One would think that this long life would make his memory wane, that he would not remember the faces of each of the many students he had taught. That was simply not the truth. He remembered each and every Padawan he had tutored, and each and every one of them held a place in his heart – even those who had fallen to the Dark Side. Even with their ways, their codes and laws, many Jedi looked up to him and saw him as a grandfather. Even with those codes and laws, Yoda could not deny that he loved the Jedi, each and every one of them, equally and individually.
He remembered Aayla as well: as a young child, a freed slave brought to the Jedi temple by a young Quinlan Vos and Tholme, shivering and hungry. She was frightened by everything she saw. He remembered how she clung onto Tholme's pant leg as if for dear life, as she looked this way and that at the huge cavernous expanse of the Jedi Temple's Main Hall with wide eyes. Everything was intimidating and scary, a normal reaction for a young girl who for so long had seen nothing but concrete walls and cold steel bars.
Then she saw Yoda, and he remembered that she was about the same height as he was at the time. He walked right up to her, took her by the hand, and gently led her on a tour around the Temple, with Tholme and Vos shadowing them. He had taken her aside, told her that she would be okay, that she wouldn't be lonely anymore, and she lit up.
He remembered her as a youngling, a member of a twenty strong training class he regularly conducted on basic lightsaber forms. She gained high scores, made friends easily, and had a smile and demeanour which would light up a room. He remembered her like he remembered each and every other youngster who passed through those walls, from a youngling scared of her own shadow to a beautiful and courageous Jedi Knight.
Was it right to do this now, when so many were already lost?
"I feel that we, the Jedi Order, are as much at fault as he is. Anakin chose to become Darth Vader because of fear and indecision, this much is true, but the failings of the Jedi Order contributed much toward bringing Anakin tosuch a decision. If we had only been there and held out a helping hand to him, would we be in this situation now? Would he have fallen as he has?"
Yoda knew her words rang with a sense of truth: that if Anakin Skywalker had simply come to him, or Obi-Wan, or half of the Jedi High Council, and if they would have listened to his plight and tried to help, then maybe this whole mess could have been avoided. He had asked for help, subtly, yet Yoda had not seen it. Anakin Skywalker was afraid that if he told any Jedi of his dilemma, then he would be kicked out of the Order, made to live his life in shame and disgrace.
He had asked for help, yet Yoda had not seen it.
"Blind, was I?" Yoda asked himself aloud as he looked down upon Aayla's sleeping form, marvelling at how innocent she seemed. Seeing her now reminded him of that frightened little girl looking at the cavernous Antechamber of their Temple with wide, scared, and fascinated eyes.
Sighing, he reached out, and with his clawed hand, stroked the sleeping girl across her brow just above her eyes. He watched as she stirred with a low groan, eyes opening and hands reaching up to wipe the gum from them before they fell upon Yoda.
She rose with a slight surprise onto an elbow before shooting upright, "Master Yoda?"
He said nothing. Instead, he reached into his robes and produced a lightsaber hilt, the same hilt which Aayla had given to him earlier that day as a sign of her resignation. He closed his eyes, concentrated, allowed the hilt to rise from his grasp and float across the gap between them slowly and deliberately. Wordlessly, Aayla reached up and allowed it to fall into her grasp. She examined the hilt for a long moment before looking back at the Grand Master.
"Patient with me, will you be?" Yoda said as he rose to his feet and climbed down the chair, giving her a small smile in wake of her befuddled look.
He hobbled from the tent, saying nothing further, seeing that his feelings reached her clearly. The Jedi Code would not, could not, be changed overnight. It could take months, even years, before anything could be pushed through. It was too early to push for change, with their only real example being the fall of Anakin Skywalker, but times were changing, and the Jedi needed to adapt to survive. Yoda knew this; he only hoped that with time, others would too. Hopefully, getting the whole story from Aayla and Naruto would give them an example of a different nature for a new point of reference.
He exited the tent, with a new goal and a new purpose. Taking a deep breath of the crisp night air, he looked to his right to see Naruto approaching. The blond man stopped, eyes locked with the smaller creature, unsure of what to do. Yoda offered him a brief nod and a small smile before moving on his way.
He nodded in return, waiting for Yoda to move away before rushing into the tent. The Grand Master could just make out his voice as he spoke softly yet worriedly to Aayla, and allowed his smile to grow when he heard her reply.
"Aayla, are you alright?"
"Yes," he heard the small wistful smile which was tugging on her lips, and imagined her saying so as she looked down upon her unlit lightsaber hilt, "Yes, Naruto. Yes, I think I'm going to be just fine."
Author's Note 1: I really need to give a lot of the credit to ncpfan for this one, the basic ideas were laid down by me, but he turned it from something acceptable to something three times better in my mind. We threw a few drafts around here and there, and this is the final result, with an additional paragraph and some checking I think this came out spectacularly well.
Author's Note 2: While it may not look like it at first glance a lot has happened during this chapter, two in particular. The first is the knowledge that the Emperor is interested in creating his own private force of Shinobi on top of the personal army of force-users he has already attained (big surprise there). Whether this new force is successful or not remains to be seen... as in I have no idea where I will be going with it, lol... well I do have an idea, just not a solid idea... umm, you'll find out as the story goes on... I need sleep
The second is the knowledge that finally separate the force and chakra as two different entities, and while it is possible for an individual to be able to utilise both that is rare, which means that the likes of Aayla, Ahsoka and Celeste are rare cases, more information on this will be released in future chapters as Obi-wan and whoever he finds to aide him delve further into the information Naruto and his party have supplied him. This should also close the book on the possibility of an army of chakra enhanced clones running around, never really wanted Rex to be a Shinobi anyway, as I wanted the crew to be more diverse than simply a band of Shinobi/Jedi hybrids.
There is also the finality that Naruto can no longer summon the toads, an important thing which I have kept on the backburner for too long and a lot of people have been getting on my plate since the story got underway. There will be a few hypotheses thrown around as the story goes on, but I hope that closes the book on that particular subject.