Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

A/N: I have a poll up for naming Naruto's ship as that's something we didn't put up originally, if you want to go vote there are 12 names that have been giving so far. If you have one, not on the list let me know and I'll add it and vote for 3!

Beta: Chaos-PSD. Contributor: Kuronodono12.

Chapter XVII: Defenders Of Peace.

Greed And Fear Of Loss Are The Roots That Lead To The Tree Of Evil.

The Republic fleet is on the defensive and pushed to the brink! As war rages in the much-contested Outer Rim Territories, chaos and fear mount as the Separatist army wages an epic battle against heavily outnumbered Republic ships in the far reaches of the Quell system. Naruto Uzumaki and his Padawan Zule race across the galaxy to aid Jedi Knight Aayla Secura who is in the midst of a fight for her life as the sinister droid army closes in.…

Maelstrom, Hyperspace.

"Get the gunships ready!" Naruto ordered at Thrawn who nodded and hit a button.

Naruto ran to the hangar with BD and met with Zule who was on a gunship that departed as Naruto jumped on. They then flew to see a large battle on another Star Destroyer before flying down while avoiding blast fire.

"The droids are boarding Ayala's ship!" Naruto yelled before Super droids flew up and started attacking the pilots of the ships. "Protect the ships!" He then jumped down onto a droid and pushed his saber through its head before turning it around.

Alpha grabbed the pilot of the gunship as he was thrown off before turning to Zule. "Hey, Kid."

"I know, I know. I'm hanging on."

Naruto used the jetpack to fly to the Star Destroyer and sliced through several droids before dropping in a hole. He then ran through the halls slicing droids as he passed them before seeing Aayla with a group of clones.

One having yellow on his armor, as well as one pauldron with binoculars, attacked the helmet.

They were joined by Zule and Alpha. "Well, Naruto, how do you plan to get us out of here?" Aayla asked as they started fighting down the hall.

"Got a ship docking but we'll need to be quick!" Naruto yelled as they came to a hall filled with droids before taking a right and ran down another hall.

Feeling the ship shake as they got to a door. Naruto grabbed BD and threw him to Zule before Force pushing the others in to turn and see fire coming to them before closing a blast door and then using the Force to push back the explosion.

BOOM!

Only for it to blow up and sent him crashing into the door behind him before Zule cut a hole and pulled him in. Alpha took the unconscious Naruto and ran down the hall as a clone closed a door behind them as they got to the ship and undocked.

Getting Naruto to a medical bed, they put him on before Aayla called Thrawn on a monitor.

"Naruto got hit pretty bad. We must get him on board."

"Are all Jedi so reckless?"

Aayla smiled at that. "Just the good ones."

They then started flying towards Naruto's ship before being hit.

"What was that?!"

"Our hyperdrive has been activated!"

"Detach!"

The pilot pulled the ship down and shot off into hyperspace. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we're on a collision with a star!" Bly said as he brought up a video of their path showing they would hit a sun.

"Shut down all power to reset coordinates!"

"Switching off primary units!" Zule said as Aayla was in the back of the cockpit by a console with a square lever.

"Ready to shut off auxiliary power."

"in three. Two. One, now!"

Aayla pulled the lever, having them stop in front of a large sun before the gravity and the momentum pushed them forward. Aayla quickly turned the power back on and barely made it past the sun before flying to the planet that was behind it. "Well, we're not going to crash into the star, but we're definitely going to hit that planet!" Zule yelled out as they crashed through the atmosphere and into the planet.

Ayala, Zule, Bly, and Alpha got out and looked to the rolling, grassy plains and forested meadows of the planet. Two rookie clones with dirty armor brought Naruto out as BD followed before Alpha looked to the ship.

"Crackshot, Talon, front, and center."

Two more clones jumped out with red and a swirl on their armor.

Talon has slide down binoculars as well as gauntlets on his wrists.

Crackshot is in the sniper armor that has multiple accessories on it. Pauldrons, kama, and macro-binoculars are built into the visor. And he has a DC-15X sniper rifle on his back as well as a DC-15X carbine rifle.

"We need to find help," Aayla said to the others. "Naruto heals fast but he'll probably be out for a while after hitting his head and any damage from the crash."

"I'll stay here while you all go find help," Alpha said as Zule put on a backpack as BD beeped as he stood beside Naruto while the rookies made a shelter out of the wreckage.

"General Secura," Bly said, handing Aayla a carving of a person fighting a lion with a vulture head under a tree. "We're not alone."

"I guess we look for large tall trees?" Zule said looking at the carving.

"Good eye Padawan," Aayla said as Zule took the carving and put it in her backpack.

They then heard noises before everyone but Alpha started jogging off to the nearest tree. A while later as night fell, the group came to the building-sized tree before diving as a seed pod fell.

"Who would live here?"Zule asked as Aayla saw drag marks before they followed the marks. "Whoever or whatever found a use for these pods, we'll follow the drag marks."

Back at the wreck, Naruto saw a creature that was a large lion with a vulture head before sitting up and quickly brought his blaster out and shot it in the head.

"Sir!"

Naruto groaned as he stood before slowly standing. "I'm fine, I'll need to stay awake for a while though," Naruto said as BD jumped on his back. "Hey buddy, little help?"

BD shot a stim having Naruto catch it and stuck himself in the arm.

Back with the group, they came to a small clearing before they were attacked by the creatures with vulture heads before the clones fought them off.

"On your left!"

"Look out!"

"AAH!"

After chasing the creatures away, Bly then looked to see one rookie clone who was injured as the rest was killed. "Lucky and Cameron are dead, Flash is still alive though we need him to be a medic fast!" Bly said as he saw the clone had a gash on his chest.

Morning.

The group came to a village of alien lemurs with yellow sclera and all wearing clothes using the seed pods as housing before they walked down as a group of the aliens came to them.

One male with a white bead and yellow clothing walked to them.

"What have you come here for?"

"We are peacekeepers. Jedi for the Galactic Republic. Our ship crashed a few miles from here and two of us, one being the man here, the other at the wreak. He's hurt, we need help." Aayla said as the lemur looked at her lightsaber.

"Violence breeds violence. Jedi are no peacekeepers… Only a few in your rank."

"We're fighting for freedom!" Zule said as the alien looked at her.

"And freedom and peace require fear and death? We colonized this system with help so we could get away from your war."

"We still need your help, one man here is dying while the other is badly injured."

The man sighed as Zule spoke before looking at her. A young male lemur with a red hat walked up. "I cannot ignore that. I'll send my son Wag Too while the man here gets treatment from us. But one Jedi must remain here. I don't want to be ambushed or my son to be kidnapped."

Aayla nodded as Zule, Bly, Talon, and Crackshot ran with Wag who ran in front before jumping, curled into a ball, and rolled.

Later, Aayla was talking to the leader in a hut. "I'm sure you are aware that the Jedi did not initiate the Clone Wars, our only intention is to end it and restore peace."

"What difference does it make who started the war and who only wants to end it? Violence breeds violence. It takes two to fight."

Aayla raises an eyebrow at that. "But isn't liberty worth fighting for?"

"But is it worth killing for? Fighting for something doesn't necessarily mean you have to destroy everything in your path. Only when you lay down your arms and pursue a course of nonviolence can you make this claim to me that the Jedi are peacekeepers."

Later, Naruto with bandages on his head looked at the village before looking at the leader. "Tee Watt Kaa. Long time no see."

"Nice to see you too Naruto."

Aayla walked up to her boyfriend at the exchange. "Naruto, you know him?"

"Yeah, I brought them here after a mission on their home planet. It's out of the way from the Separatists."

"And the Republic." Tee spoke up as Naruto sighed.

"Not really, we would have asked if you wanted to join with us but wouldn't have forced you."

Republic forces in retreat! While rescuing General Aayla Secura from certain defeat, Naruto Uzumaki has been injured. After a narrow escape, our heroes crash-landed on the remote world of Maridun. Stranded, and with no way to contact the Republic, the Jedi receive medical aid from the peaceful Lurmen colonists. But even on this tiny planet, the war threatens to follow the Jedi.…

As the Jedi and Clones rest, Alpha spots a Separatist dropship that descends near the Lurmen village. Tee Watt Kaa goes to meet the newcomers, while the Jedi escape, to avoid the Lurmen having to pay the price for their presence. The Separatist commander, an overweight Neimoidian walks up to the village.

"I am General Lok Durd, of the Separatist Alliance."

"I am Tee Watt Kaa, leader of this colony what do you-!"

"You are now under the protection of the Separatists Alliance." Lok interrupted the Lurman. "I congratulate you on your good fortune."

"Thank you." Tee replied as Lok walked to his village. "We enjoyed good fortune well before your arrival."

Lok then had his droids ransack the village before they came to report there was nothing from the Republic in the village. "In the future, we'll conduct surprise inspections to make sure you're not harboring any contraband."

The Jedi, with Naruto helping Flash, retreat into the tall grass. Wag Too sends his friend Tub after them to watch their departure from the planet.

"I can't figure those villagers not wanting to fight," Bly said as Naruto sighed.

"They don't want to be in this war, if we force them to do so, we're no better than the Separatist."

"I still say it's cowardice!" Zule complained as Aayla looked at her.

"Don't underestimate their resolve. A strong belief can be more powerful than any army."

"Well we still need a ship, and the only one here belongs to our good leader who just came here," Naruto said as Alpha looked at him.

"Steal a Separatist ship? I'm game."

Naruto suddenly turned and threw his shoto having the red blade turn in mid-air and hit a scout droid. He pulled his shoto back to him as they looked at the tree from earlier.

"Crackshot, find out where that droid was coming from."

"Roger sir!" Crackshot ran to the tree and shot his grapnel and pulled himself up before taking out his rifle, placed it on a branch, and looked through the scope. "There's a base up ahead."

"Then I guess that's where we find a ship," Talon said holding his rifle.

"Don't see any flaws in their security," Crackshot said as the others jumped up.

"Bly, Alpha, and Talon… Go and see if you can find anything," Naruto ordered as the three nodded and dashed off. "Crackshot, take any droid that might see them out."

"On it," Crackshot replied before seeing two droids walking down the path in front of the trio.

He put his hand on the trigger before they saw a missile shot in an arch and hit just in front of the droids having the trio run back as a wave came off the explosion and burned everything but the droids.

"Shit." Zule cursed. "It took out every living thing." She said seeing burned animal skeletons.

"Well… Let's help the villagers out." Naruto said as they walked to the base.

Tub, who had been watching from another tree, sent his carrier butterfly ahead of him to alert Wag Too that the Separatists were on their way back to the village.

Night.

After nightfall, the Jedi and clones prepared to raid the Separatist base, which had been left with only a few guards. Naruto moved some rocks, getting the group in front of him to spread out before they were shot in the head. Naruto looked to see a glint in the tree they were at before seeing Talon stab one with a blade from his gauntlet and pull the droid into the grass.

"OK, Aayla, we got the droids here," Naruto said over his comms.

He saw Aayla and Zule ascend the wall, Aayla taking out the droids on the wall while Zule went to open the door, allowing the others to enter. Sneaking into the base's command post, Naruto, Alpha, Bly, and Talon each took out one of the droids manning it. Taking the base's two deflector shield generators, they departed in a waiting Sheathipede-class transport shuttle.

In the stolen shuttle, the Jedi and clones reached the village before Durd and his forces. Having been alerted of the Separatists' return the night before, Wag Too had attempted to persuade his father that they had no choice but to defend themselves since there were few reasons why the Separatists would bother returning to their village other than destruction, but Tee Watt Kaa was stubbornly insistent that doing so would destroy their way of life.

"What are you doing back here?" Tee asked the group as Naruto looked at him.

"The Separatists plan to burn this village to the ground to test their new weapon. Look Tee, you can stay by your beliefs, but I'll stand by mine in protecting those that can't protect themselves."

They then started building a wall with unused pods and put up shield generators in front of the village. "Clankers inbound, sir. Eight minutes out!" Alpha came up to Naruto to let him know the army is on its way to them.

"Then let's get ready."

Durd, deciding to survey the village with his macro-binoculars on approach, saw the Jedi and, alarmed, immediately ordered his forces to halt. Unsure as to where the Jedi had come from, Durd decided to order the Defoliator to fire immediately.

Naruto looked at the army before raising his hand. "Wait for it." He waited until shortly before the cannon's shell impacted in front of the village to have the shield generators activated, which protected the village from the destruction caused by the weapon but alarmed its residents. "Now they gotta fight face-to-face."

"Clankers inbound."

"Move out!"

The Jedi and clones outside of Crackshot who laid on top of the ship with his rifle and Flesh who was resting inside exited the shield to meet the approaching droids. The first wave was swiftly routed, with the Jedi quickly going through each droid as Talon held two pistols fired on ones near him. He then turned to slice the head off of one droid behind him before he continued to fire.

Crackshot shot at straggler droids that made it past the wall before he looked to see a large group walking to them. "Sir, another group is coming!"

As the second wave was attacking, Naruto decided to head for the Defoliator and destroy it, while Aayla, Zule, and the clones continued to defend the village.

"Stay and protect the village!"

The droids eventually breached the shield, smashing their way through the wall, and destroyed the first shield generator. Talon ran to the droids, sliced through their heads, and cut into their chest.

"They've breached the shield!"

Crackshot shot several droids from his spot before looking to see Naruto made it to Durd. Suddenly, the other shield generator was destroyed, causing many villagers to panic.

Durd was preparing to fire the Defoliator again when he was informed of Naruto's approach. Crackshot continued to shoot droids and shot ones near Naruto as well. The tanks fired at the approaching Jedi, but he easily evaded the shots. Naruto quickly defeated the droids guarding Durd before cutting the Defoliator's end off, causing the most recently-loaded shell to fall onto the ground.

"Help!"

Durd attempted to flee in a panic, but Naruto pulled him over with the Force. "The weapon's been disabled."

"Copy that, General."

While the Jedi and clones fought the remaining droid forces in the village, Wag Too and his friends moved to assist them, despite Tee Watt Kaa's disapproval. Using farming implements and rope, the young Lurmen tied up the droids' feet, before knocking the droids onto the ground.

Zule finished the line of droids off with her lightsaber. After the remaining droids had been destroyed, many of the Lurmen cheered.

Later, after arresting the Separatist, Naruto looked to the village before speaking to Wag Too. "Thanks. I know it wasn't easy defying your father."

"I guess we owe you our thanks," Tee said walking up as Star Destroyers flew in the sky. "But at what cost?"

"I'll personally protect you all and even move you again if it becomes too dangerous," Naruto said, crossing his arms looking up at the sky.

To Be Continued.

A/N: Thanks for reading and let me know of any mistakes.

Beta: Chaos-PSD. Contributor: Kuronodono12.

I have a poll up for naming Naruto's ship as that's something we didn't put up originally, if you want to go vote there are 12 names that have been giving so far. If you have one, not on the list let me know and I'll add it and vote for 3!

Nothing else to say.

Talk To You Later,

Lone Wolf Out.