Anakin stood before the Jedi council as they discussed the loss of the Zillo beast. It wasn't their objective at start, but the loss of the beast was a huge blow to the Republic. If their enemies were able to make Droids and Warships out of the Zillo beast's armor, then the Republic would have a hard time beating them back, but that wasn't the question right now.
"Who was the one leading the enemy fleet?" Master Plo Koon questioned.
"I do not know it couldn't have been Grievous as his tactics are too aggressive and it can't be a tactical Droid as they are too stupid. Dooku neither as he was in a different theater of war at that moment. My guess is that it's someone new." Anakin answered.
"Someone who also knows how to disable our ship's tracking devices." Obi Wan stated. This worried the Jedi council. Someone was either spying for the Separatists or the enemy Commander was a defector, but who could it be?
"I don't mean to make assumptions, but this new player might be Padawan Naruto. He fits in for the criteria. Naruto was one of our best Commanders, knew how Republic ships worked and knew almost every tactics the Republic navy used. He was exiled by order after all, so he has a reason to attack." One of the Jedi Masters stated as Anakin's eyes widened. Him, one of the best Generals and one of the best Jedi Knights, defeated by a Commander who was a Padawan!?
"I don't mean to brag, but Padawan Naruto does not possess the skills of the enemy Commander that attacked my fleet." Anakin stated.
"That might be the case, but we still need to investigate this. If it is him, then he is an enemy of the order and he would be considered a rogue or a Sith. Do we know where he is?" The same Master questioned.
"Mandalore's Moon, Concordia, he is at." Master Yoda finally spoke up as he opened his eyes. Padawan Naruto was one of the few students that he had high hopes for, yet something happened to him. He began to shut everyone off, including his own emotions. Now the Jedi was all about suppressing their emotions, but Naruto was on the path to killing his emotions, thankfully he only turned them off, but still. Yoda thought back to the day the blond first came to the Jedi Temple. He was malnourished, thin and hungry. His eyes back then held nothing but sadness, but as he trained in the ways of the force, he started to turn around and then it all stopped. Yoda tried to use the force and look into the boy's future, but he drew a blank. It baffled him. It was like he was not part of the force, yet he could wield it. The boy was the Master of his own destiny.
"I shall leave as soon as possible then." Obi Wan stated as he stood up and began to leave. He had other reasons as well to visit Mandalore. He remembered the shock of Pantora leaving the Republic.
Flashback:
"Master Jedi's, I have some good news. The blockade on Pantora was broken by… Separatist ships and the Prime Minister's daughters were saved. One by the Prime Minister himself and the other by the Separatist fleet that broke the blockade, however there is also some bad news. The Prime Minister was removed from power and Senator Chuchi was elected Prime Minister." Asoka stated much to everyone's shock.
"Then who will represent Pandora in the Senate?"Windu questioned. Asoka gulped.
"No one, Pandora has withdrawn from the Galactic Senate and from the Republic. As of now, they have joined Mandalore in the Neutral systems." She answered. This shocked many of the people in the room. How could this happen?
"This is bad, with Pantora leaving the Republic, we lose a staging point, but the main question is why they didn't join the Separatists since the Separatists did break the blockade." Plo Koon questioned as everyone nodded.
"Clouded, the Force is, a different force is at play." Master Yoda stated as everyone looked at him. If what Master Yoda was saying was true, then a 3rd party was joining in the war.
Flashback end:
"We will let the Senate take care of this. For now, we need to find the exiled Padawan Naruto and question him. We leave that task to you, Master Obi Wan." Mace said as Obi Wan nodded and left the room and headed for Mandalore.
With Naruto:
Naruto observed as the captured Separatists blockade fleet was taken to a secret location of his Droid army. It was on one of Pantora's moons. After all, the Republic won't look in a neutral system for Droid factories and ships.
"With this, Pantora is under your control, through the shadows that is." Bo said as she walked out of the shadows.
"Indeed, how are things holding up on your end?" Naruto questioned as she took off her helmet.
"I was able to convince Vizsla to spread anti-Republic propaganda throughout the neutral systems, telling him that we might be able to gain more support. It is already talking effect as many of the neutral systems have been starting to question the Republic and the war as a whole. By the time your forces are ready, many of these systems will join willingly." She reported. Naruto nodded. Everything was going according to plan.
"Very well, head back to the Death Watch. Don't want them to figure out you are gone." He stated as she nodded and started to leave.
"Oh and be careful." He said. She stopped and looked at his back as he stared out into space. She smiled. He did care.
"Copy that." She replied and headed out. Once she was gone, Naruto left soon after. His intelligence had informed him of the Jedi's visit to Mandalore.
Mandalore's Moon, A few hours later:
"The Jedi have no proof of former Jedi Naruto Uzumaki being the attacker. He is the governor of this moon and he has done a great job at it as well." Satine said as she and Obi Wan walked through the governor's building.
"I am sure that you have full confidence in the new governor, but he does have the reasons to do so and the fact that your last governor also turned out to be the leader of Death Watch." Obi Wan countered. Satine gritted her teeths. He was right. As they walked Kenobi saw many Droids walking around.
"I wasn't aware that Mandalore employed Droids." He joked.
"I didn't buy them. Governor Naruto had them with him when he came to Mandalore and requested me to allow him to replace the guards for his Droids." She stated as they kept walking and reached the Governor's office. Opening it, Kenobi could see Naruto was working on some paperwork.
"Ah, general Kenobi, it's been a while." Naruto said as he looked up and put his pen down.
"Indeed it has been, though it seems like you are now just a paper pusher." Kenobi joked as Naruto chuckled a bit.
"Yes, a once feared Republic commander reduced to nothing more than a governor of a moon." 'Not for long though.' He replied, saying the last part in his mind.
"Yes, well, as much as I hate to say it, but you are under suspicion of attacking the Republic. I am here to see if that is true." Kenobi said as Naruto faked the look of shock on his face.
"Well, then do what you must." Naruto said as he allowed Kenobi to do whatever he wanted.
"That would make things easier." Kenobi said with a sigh of relief. He and Satine then went on to inspect not only his governor's building, but also other parts of the moon. The search lasted for almost a day, but it soon came to an end with Kenobi finding nothing.
"I told you that the new governor would not do such a thing as take part in a war." Satine scolded Kenobi who simply shrugged.
"If you say so, my lady." He said with a bow. Satine rolled her eyes.
"Get up you fool. Come on, I have to go to Coruscant after this. I assume that the Republic sent security?" She questioned. Kenobi nodded.
"Yes, my old student, Anakin Skywalker will be part of it as well." Kenobi stated as they headed back to Mandalore. Naruto however had other plans. Such as his new warships that would be ready soon. All he needed now was the Death Watch to make their move on Mandalore. The plan was simple; have the Death Watch take Mandalore over by force when Satine was away. When Death Watch took over Mandalore, they would 'remove' all government personnel of the current government. With Satine away and the current government removed from power, he could then assume emergency powers and legally lead an army down to Mandalore and take power. It was within his powers to do so as the governor. He even had the authority to establish a whole new different government.
"Bo, start the plan on your end, Satine will be leaving soon." Naruto said as he turned on a holodisk.
"Understood." Bo replied as the transmission ended. Naruto then looked up as Kenobi's ship left the moon.
"Soon, soon Mandalore will be reborn." He said to himself. Death Watch, Satine, the Republic, the Separatists, Palpatine and the Jedi order were just all obstacles in his way, obstacles that would either stand aside or be removed, by force.
Death Watch:
"Vizsla, Satine and the Jedi have left Mandalore; this is a perfect moment to take over." Bo reported to Vizsla who hummed.
"What of the Separatists?" Vizsla questioned. A few days ago, he was approached by the Separatists. They claimed that they would help him take over and as a show of promise, they supplied him with weapons. What he didn't know was that the Separatist group he had met was part of Naruto's faction. Vizsla actually had no back up from the Separatists.
"They will aid us." Bo answered, knowing that Naruto would never send the Droids or the fleet that was promised to Vizsla. It would be easy for Vizsla to overthrow Mandalore's government, but he didn't have a large enough force to hold Mandalore for a prolonged period of time. He needed the support of a major faction that would support his rule.
"Very well, assemble the troops." Vizsla ordered as he left to board his ship. Bo nodded.
"Fool, you are but a stepping stone for the real Mandalore to take power." She thought to herself. Vizsla might have been from an old house of Mandalorian warriors, but he was not the descendent of the last Mandalore. With that said, she had to gather the few loyal Death Watch soldiers who were willing to follow Naruto. They would act when they were ordered to by Naruto.
With Naruto a few hours later:
"Death Watch should be making a move right about now." Naruto thought as he took a sip of his tea. He had to keep up his act as the innocent governor of Mandalore's moon. He would soon get a message from Mandalore that it had fallen. Just like that, the message came.
"Right on time." He thought as he turned on the hologram.
"This is governor Naruto of Mandalore's moon; this is an emergency channel, who are you?" Naruto said. He had to keep up his act.
"Governor, it's the Death Watch! They have attacked the government building and are in the process of overthrowing the government! We need hel-" The message ended right there as the messenger was murdered.
"Perfect, now to make my move." Naruto said to himself as he stood up. He had a message to send out.
Mandalore:
Vizsla had taken Mandalore, after years of planning, he had done it! Now he ruled Mandalore and he would return it to its former glory! None shall be able to stand against the military might that he would rebuild! Even though the people didn't favor him now, they will soon enough. Nothing can stop his rule now!
"People of Mandalore!" Except for a former Jedi Padawan. Looking at the big screen, he noticed that the message was being broadcasted throughout Mandalore.
"It has come to my attention that the Death Watch has overthrown the Mandalorian Government. Rest assured, that I, Governor Naruto of Mandalore's Moon Concordia. With the Duchess away and all current ruling figures of Mandalore either dead or imprisoned, I am hereby in-stated as the head of Mandalore. Rest assured Mandalore will be liberated from Death Watch!" The message ended and Vizsla almost imploded in rage. He knew that there was no way that the new governor of Concordia could remove him from power. Mandalore had no large standing navy or army to do such a thing. However that man has given hope to the otherwise peace loving people of Mandalore. It didn't matter now; he could see the Separatist ships already entering the system. His victory was assured. Oh how wrong he was.