03Dec22
So here I am from the middle of nowhere with the next chapter. I don't have access to the reviews so I cannot comment on them right now but maybe this chapter will answer some questions and create new ones. Currently the Centurion battle cruiser is in the lead and that one is going to be a doozy as it has enough room hold a whole legion of clones by itself and have room left over. I know I did say I was going to go into the next episode where Satine was being chased by the law but I was kind of stumped where to start off so I started something that kind of negated that part of the show.
Alright, now on to the chapter.
"Normal speech"
-Driods-
-Comms-
"Kurama"
Ch.14 Further Changes
-Temple Infirmary, days later-
Naruto sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that day as he listened to the temple's head healer Rig Nema lecture him about protocol and to be honest he should have done this on his ship, at least on his ship there would be no one to argue with what he was attempting.
At least Kenobi was having a fun time guarding his granddaughter. After the attempted kidnapping turned attempted mass murder, the council had appointed Kenobi to keep an eye on the Duchess. Naruto had interrogated the traitorous senator and found out that they would keep sending assassins so that further indicated that his granddaughter was in danger. He was pretty sure that the two became closer after that debacle and he decided to quit teasing them for the time being.
Currently he was in the middle of dissecting the clones that were infected by the virus on Ashas Ree. Though he has had to listen to Rig give him an earful about him being untrained and operating on diseased bodies without the proper gear.
"Master Uzumaki, are you listening to me?" asked Rig looking even more agitated about being ignored.
"No, I stopped listening after you started to sound like my late second wife." Rig sputtered at this but Naruto continued. "I understand that there are rules and procedures for these things, but the Sith magic that powered this virus is dead, and I for one wasn't affected when exposed, so I do not have to worry about being infected. Now would you like to stay there and nag at me or would you like to help me and learn about what this Sith powered virus does and possibly find a way to counteract it if it becomes a problem again?" asked Naruto.
"Fine, but you will follow my lead as I have more experience in dissecting bodies." Said Rig as she donned her medical gear.
"Very well, now I started at the upper torso and found that the virus had started to transform many of the biological organs into half mechanical ones. The only organ that was mostly untouched was the heart. I was about to pop open the victim's head and look at the damage done to the brain." Said Naruto.
"Did the other victims on Ashas Ree look the same?" asked Rig as she picked up a laser cutter and started to cut the dead clone's scull open.
"No, they looked more like cyborgs than these subjects. I assume that if I had let the virus progress in the victims that they would have had metal appendages like the others did. How the virus did that, I still don't know." Said Naruto while carefully extracting the infected brain and placing it under a scanner. The damage to the brain looked similar to the rest of the organs but something caught Naruto's eye. A small organic growth that looked strange to him.
"Rig, does that look normal to you?" asked Naruto pointing to the growth on the holoscreen.
"No it does not, and it doesn't look like it was caused by the virus. You would think that the Kaminoans would catch this as it could cause problems at a later date." Said Rig as she carefully cut out the growth and placed it under a microscope.
"You said that the cloners should have caught this, I think they did and left it alone, or they put it there themselves. I am going to check the other two clones to see if they have the same growth, if so I will be having words with the council, the chancellor, and the cloners to see if this is a known problem." Said Naruto as he made a clone to extract the brain of one clone as he cut open the other. The shadow clone had no luck as the portion of the brain where the growth was supposed to be was too damaged, but Naruto had some luck as the clone he was dissecting had a partial growth that was somewhat damaged by the virus.
"It would seem that this is possibly not an isolated incident. I would need to check my troops to make sure that they do not have the growth, and if they do, I will need to find out if it is possible to remove said growth." Said Naruto removing the little medical gear he had on and used a small but powerful fire jutsu to destroy all but one of the infected bodies.
"What was that for?" asked Rig surprised and agitated that she now had to clean up ash from her operating room.
"We learned all that we could from those, and I left one for you to go over and study to see if you can find a way to stop the spread of the virus. I have learned all I can from the corpses and believe you will have better luck finding something else. I also recently remembered a tidbit of information that the Sith spirit responsible for this abomination said in passing. Apparently a Sith by the name of Darth Bane had a set of armor that kept him from turning into the thing on the table. I wish to figure out how it worked so I am going to find that armor." Said Naruto.
"What are you going to tell the council about the growths? From what I see from the microscope, that growth didn't grow naturally." said Rig while making preparations to preserve the body and organs of the last infected clone.
"When I find out more from my living troopers I will make a report-" they were interrupted by a temple guard entering the operating room.
"Master Uzumaki, your presence has been requested by the council in the high council chamber." Said the guard.
"Very well, tell them I will be there." Said Naruto while washing his hands. The guard exited the room, but Naruto felt that he didn't go far.
"Is there a reason that the council sent a guard to find you?" asked Rig with an eyebrow raised.
"I may have left my commlink with my daughter as I was tired of being called about trivial things every few minutes." Said Naruto getting a laugh out of Rig.
"Do remember that she has a checkup due in a few days, I would very much like to see the little troublemaker again so please don't forget." Said Rig pushing Naruto out of the room and almost into the guard.
"Is there a reason that you are lurking out here?" asked Naruto.
"The council told us if we find you to escort you to their chambers so you don't get sidetracked." Answered the guard.
"Very well lead the way, I promise that I will do my best to not get lost on the way." Said Naruto smirking a bit. The guard started to think this was a bad idea, but had no choice and beckoned the older Jedi to follow him.
Rig shook her head at Naruto's antics, but she had to admit, with him here the temple was a bit more lively than before. Especially with his daughter, who indeed was force sensitive, terrorizing everyone with her pranks that she seemed to learn from her father.
-Master Nema, it would seem that two of our coma patients are waking up.- said a medical droid.
-Council chambers-
Naruto entered the chambers alone as he had lost his escort. He had a habit of doing this to all guardians sent to collect him as he thought it to be good training for them. Though it was kind of unfair for the guardians as he was a former shinobi and his stealth skills were second to none currently. Of course he would probably be questioned about why he felt the need to vanish while being escorted. He had noticed that the majority of the council was not happy with his actions but he could tell a few were amused.
"Master Uzumaki, may we assume that you have once again lost your escort?" asked Mace Windu while staring Naruto down.
"You would assume correct Master Windu, though it would seem that they are learning from their mistakes….slowly. Though their efforts were for naught as I still lost them." said Naruto watching the Grand Master smirk a bit.
"Discuss your activities, later we will. A mission, have for you, we do." Spoke Yoda gaining Naruto's full attention.
"What do you have for me Master?" asked Naruto.
"You are acquainted with the Pantoran Senator Riyo Chuchi correct?" asked Obi-Wan.
"Yes, in fact I still owe her a new protocol droid as the one she lent me was destroyed." Said Naruto.
"Good, we have received reports that there was an attempt made on her life while she was mediating talks between her planet and the Trade Federation. A request came directly to the council from her asking for someone to protect her, and she specifically asked for you, Master Uzumaki." Said Kenobi giving Naruto a knowing look which Naruto returned a look saying drop it.
"Well, I'm flattered that a well known senator is requesting for me personally, can you give me the details of my mission?" asked Naruto.
"You are to stay with the senator and provide her protection on Pantora until the assassin is caught and until the talks end." Said Mace catching the shift in Naruto's emotions and facial expressions at the mention of Pantora. The whole council was now very curious about his shift as he now was an emotionless void and it unnerved many of the council members who have only seen him as a cheerful man.
"Something wrong, is there, Master Uzumaki?" asked Yoda.
"Only that my banishment from Pantora still stands, if I am found to be on that planet, I will be executed at worst and imprisoned at best. I cannot go there." Said Naruto not giving away any emotion, good or bad.
"You were banished from Pantora, how?" asked Kenobi while stroking his beard.
"That is a story I do not wish to tell in detail as it happened long ago and is still a sore subject. Though I will say that I was just doing my job protecting the innocents that were drug into the conflict that they wanted no part of. That act angered both warring parties to the point where both sides banished me from Pantora. I checked recently and my banishment still stands." Said Naruto.
"Another Jedi we cannot send, the only one she would accept, you are." Said Yoda which caused the council to go silent for a few minutes.
"I do believe I have a solution to our problem." Plo-Koon spoke up.
"What might your idea be Master Plo-Koon?" asked Obi-Wan.
"What if the negotiations were set to be on a different planet, neutral grounds so to speak?" asked Plo-Koon.
Naruto was silently contemplating the idea. It had merit, though he couldn't think of any planets that came to mind as most of his information about the galaxy was still outdated by a few thousand years.
"Yes, that would work, and the sudden change of scenery may prove to be a challenge for the assassin." Said Kenobi agreeing with the idea.
"I agree with your idea, but I cannot assure that the senator or the Trade Federation's representative will agree to the change. I also do not know what planets to choose from. My information of what planet belongs to which system and who is in control of said systems happens to be way out of date." Said Naruto with a shrug.
"Well there happens to be a planet that was recently surveyed and was found barren of all life. It is an ice planet similar to Illum, and though it is lifeless now, the planet seems to have been habited at one time as there are manmade ruins on the surface." Said Mace gaining a curious look from Naruto.
"And what would the name of this planet be?" asked Naruto.
"Odacer-Faustin, it is in the Esstran sector." Said Mace.
Naruto stayed silent for a second before asking one last question on the subject. "Any information that you know about from the survey team?"
"Other than the ruins and a few crashed ships on the planet, there is nothing notable." Said Mace.
"Very well, I will contact both parties to request a change of location to this planet." Said Naruto.
Most of the council got up to leave but they noticed that Naruto had not moved from his spot in the center of the chambers. "More you have to tell us Master Uzumaki?" asked Yoda who also hadn't moved from his spot.
"Indeed I do. It has come to my attention that we had a burglar in the temple, and not only did he evade everyone in the temple, but he also stole a holocron from your so-called impenetrable vault. That thief then captured a Jedi that had a memory crystal that had names of all the force sensitive younglings in the galaxy." Said Naruto giving all of the masters in attendance a disappointed stare.
"What is it that you are getting at Master Uzumaki?" asked Mace.
"What I am saying is that my point from our last discussion about how easy it is to break into the vault stands, and that our security has become too lax. Our security measures shouldn't be accessible on just any terminal in the building, and you shouldn't have let the whereabouts of the keeper of the crystal known to anyone, much less let him go to a warzone with it around his neck." Said Naruto not caring about how most of the council had the sour lemon look on their faces.
"I formally request that I take possession of all Sith artifacts, important items and all dangerous items that you have hidden away in the many vaults around the temple. I will take them and have them stored in my library until they are needed. They will be safer there than anywhere else." Said Naruto and there were looks of apprehension around the room from all but one of the council.
"This conclusion, come by it, how did you Master Uzumaki?" asked Yoda giving Naruto an inquisitive look.
"Well, in the time this temple has been here, by my count the main temple vault has been broken into around thirty seven times by my hand alone, and that isn't counting the other vaults hidden around the temple. Now the main vault has been the target for many outsiders and counting this last time, while not counting my attempts, the vault has been breached thirteen times by outsiders and rouge jedi."
"You admit to braking into the most restricted area in the temple?" asked Master Piell.
"Considering that I did it over three thousand five hundred-ish years I really don't care what views you have on my actions. My point is, your vault isn't as safe as my library as no one but me knows where my library is." Said Naruto staring down the old Lannik who bristled at the statement.
"I would disagree since you took someone other than yourself there brat." The Piell shot back.
"Indeed I did but I rendered them unconscious until we went into hyperspace and erased all navigational data from Skywalker's ship and my Flagship before I handed it over to be restored. Skywalker, his Padawan, and my Padawan have no idea where I took them. Plus, I would be aware if someone found my library, and if necessary I can have it moved in a matter of hours." Said Naruto finally cracking a smile at the mixture of disbelieving and befuddled looks that were on the council's faces.
"How?" asked Kenobi.
Naruto unsealed the sword he used to destroy the old Sith librarian and smirked. "With seals I can move anything anywhere." And with that the sword vanished back into the seal on his wrist.
"These seals, more with them you can do?" asked Yoda.
"Yes, though I am the only one that can use them."
"Possible though, for us to eventually use them, yes?"
"Maybe, though it would take much convincing and many rules put into place."
"Discuss both subjects later, we will. Go now you must"
"Very well Master, I will leave immediately." Said Naruto before he flashed out of existance.
"Do you think he can teach us how to do that?" Asked Kit Fisto while wearing his award winning smile.
"No." said Piell grumbling.
-Tempest, above Odacer-Faustin in the Esstran sector. Three days later.-
Naruto looked down on the rocky ice ball of a planet and sighed. He felt uneasy, about what he wasn't sure but this planet felt sick. He also felt like something was at the edge of his mind, probing it though the force. He couldn't figure out what it was and that made him feel even more uneasy than the planet did. He had reached out to see what the entity was, but as soon as he reached out the entity recoiled away. It really perplexed him that there was something living on a supposably dead planet. The entity didn't feel like an evil being so Naruto figured that it could be a force spirit or ghost of some kind. Though then again dark beings were known to hide themselves as little more than old unassuming things like a hermit.
"Sir, both delegations are in orbit and ready to restart the negotiations." Said a clone lieutenant breaking Naruto out of his deep thoughts.
"Thank you lieutenant…..do you have a name yet?" asked Naruto looking at the young looking clone.
"Locket, sir."
"You are part of the fresh batch that just finished training." Said Naruto not looking back at the young clone.
"Yes sir."
"You don't have to be so ridged Lieutenant, relax. How are the men?"
"They are confused about why they are here sir. We were told that this was a dead planet and there is no danger here other than the elements." Stated Locket.
"Well the reason I have two platoons with me on a diplomatic mission to a dead planet is for security and a hunch." Said Naruto turning around to stare at the young lieutenant.
"A hunch sir?"
"Yes, this is a world close to the sector that the original Sith empire controlled around five thousand years and before. They had control of many planets in the sector and beyond, many we still don't know about."
"So you believe that this may be one of those Sith worlds?" asked Locket.
"Yes, I get a bad feeling from this place, so expect something very hinky to happen. In the meantime get our two stealth squads ready for their assignment. They are to try to incapacitate the assassin if possible, or to kill if necessary." Said Naruto looking back at the planet.
"Yes sir, we will land in the center of the old compound, the old walls should give us some cover from the blizzard that is covering most of the planet." Said Locket.
"Very well, take us down, tell the Pantorans and the Trade Federation to follow us to the landing zone."
"Yes sir."
Naruto stepped off the ramp of his ship and was immediately slapped in the face by the chilled wind of the cold planet, but that was not what made him stumble. He felt sick, well he felt the sickness through the force and that made him feel sick. He also felt two other things from the force, a large amount of fear, and greed mixed with what he could only described as insatiable hunger.
"Are you alright sir?" asked one of the clones.
"This place doesn't feel right, be on guard, but don't spook the delegates. Everyone is to stay in groups, no one is to venture off alone. If there is anything that even minutely makes you feel something is not right, report it and we will go from there."
"Yes sir!" shouted the entire group of clones who were very uneasy at the sight of their General looking like he was four steps away from paranoid.
Naruto turned to his left to see the young Pantoran Senator walking up to him flanked by four guards who all were watching him intensely.
"Good to see you again senator, I hope your journey wasn't too difficult." Said Naruto while still observing the terrain.
"Good to see you as well Master Uzumaki, and no my journey wasn't difficult at all. Though if you wanted to change scenery to a desolate place such as this, may I suggest Orto Plutonia next time?"
"I'm afraid there are two reasons why that wouldn't have worked out. first being that it wasn't neutral ground and that wouldn't have boded well for the negotiations. Second my banishment is for Pantora and the system it is in. So the planet that your home orbits was not a viable option. Though maybe next time Something can be done to null my banishment, it has been a few thousand years." Said Naruto with a slight smirk at the end.
"Ah yes, I have been working on reversing your banishment, and with the help of our new prime minister, it is going along rather quickly." She said with a smile on her face.
"I do have something that may help you in your endeavors, it did take me a minute to find, but it was worth the search." Said Naruto as a blue skeletal droid with green photoreceptors (eyes) came down the ramp.
"That doesn't look like any protocol or secretary droid I have ever seen." Said Riyo looking kind of nervous.
"Well it isn't a standard protocol droid, this is an HK-fifty-one model, I call her Buttons. She is from around my time and it was a pain trying to put her back together in working order."
"I've never heard of an HK protocol droid before… what does it do?"
"Well it's only half a protocol droid. The other half is that of an assassin droid." Said Naruto seeing the apprehension on the young woman's face along with her body guards.
"Before you reject her, Buttons has been reprogramed to protect you. While it was designed to be and efficient killer, he will only activate that part of herself when you are in danger. She has no chance of becoming a loose cannon."
"I am still very unsure about this." Said Riyo nervously staring at the droid.
"Well why don't you give her a chance, if you still don't like her, I will take her back and get you a more typical protocol droid." Said Naruto as Buttons stepped forward.
-Statement: It is a pleasure to meet you Mistress Chuchi, Master Uzumaki has instructed me that I am to assist you with anything you need.- said Buttons who had a soft yet slightly sarcastic feminine voice.
Riyo gave Naruto a questioning look and Naruto shrugged. "It's how they were programed. Apparently the early versions of the droid sounded too sarcastic, and to save money the manufacturers simply changed the programing to state what it means instead of changing the vocabulator processor." Said Naruto.
-Query: Is there something wrong mistress?- asked Buttons.
"No, there is nothing wrong."
"Sir we have an issue, something has rattled the Trade Federation's delegate to the point that he will not leave his ship." Said Locket.
"Do you know what spooked him?"
"He was blabbering about a bloody figure that gave off an ungodly wail before vanishing in the blizzard. We searched the area and found no trace of anything living or dead." Said Locket with a bit of worry in his voice.
"I'm sorry to have to ask this, but in the interest of keeping everyone here safe, please stay very close to me as I believe that shit is about to hit the metaphorical fan." Said Naruto.
As if he was heard a loud ungodly wail broke though the howling wind.
-END-
Holy shit this one took me way longer than it should have. Though to be fair, I was working on broken equipment trying to figure out why it decided to not work, so that ate up most of my free time. So in the interest of making up for lost time I will be writing like a madman, providing none of the equipment that I am paid to keep running doesn't break again.
18Feb23