Can Jedi Wear Orange?

by dextron11

At the start of their trip, a mysterious power pulls Naruto and Jiraiya into the distant future. With no way back home, and no idea what's going on, what will they do? Join the Jedi, naturally. But there are other, more sinister forces after them as well. With the Force to wield and a new group of friends, can Naruto change the future of a galaxy threatened by darkness?

41. Chapter 41

This is, by far, the longest chapter I've written. Hopefully, it will be the longest chapter I ever write for this story. It took me almost four months to finish, and most of that time was spent trying to edit it down. I didn't plan out the structure of this arc as well as I should have, and so I had to shove a lot of rather disparate plotlines into one bloated behemoth of a chapter. I still don't love how it turned out, but it's as good as I know how to make it. One uncomfortable fact I've learned while writing is that my ability to judge my own writing as good or bad consistently outstrips my ability to actually write better.

Unless something goes dramatically wrong, this story will probably surpass 1k reviews on this chapter, so I'd like to thank all of you who've reviewed so far. Your feedback, both positive and negative, has helped me hone my writing far beyond what I thought myself capable of two years ago. Please keep up the support, and don't forget to enable email alerts and PMs so I can respond to your questions.

Regarding the poll about my next story, unsurprisingly, the Naruto/MCU idea won handily, with HP/Young Justice coming in second, Star Wars/LOTR in third, and Dresden Files/HP in a distant fourth. Given that, presumably, all of you reading this story are Naruto fans, I should have seen that coming. Personally, I'm leaning towards the HP/Young Justice story, just because its two fandoms I haven't yet done, and I don't necessarily want to get locked into Naruto for the next decade. I haven't made a final decision, yet, and it won't even matter for quite a while, but I wanted to let you all know where I stand.

Please send whatever support you can afford to Ukraine, and wish them luck in their upcoming offensive against Russia. Now, onto the chapter.

Content warning: This chapter contains an M-rated scene. It is clearly marked if you want to skip it.

Update (December 2023): This site is apparently doing another purge of stories containing lemons. As such, I have edited the more explicit aspects of that scene out. You can find the unedited version of this story on AO3, under the same name and author.

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Chapter 41

To Jiraiya's mild surprise, their approach into Coruscant airspace not only went unchallenged, but was actually expected. They even had a pre-arranged flight path that cut right past the legendary traffic. It seemed Yoda had been feeling particularly benevolent. Either that or his master was truly impatient to hear his reasons for going to Nar Shaddaa. Whatever the reason, he was just happy to be home.

Before Durge's former ship even entered Temple airspace, Jiraiya sensed his godson's presence. To his relief, the dingy pall that had discolored Naruto's Force signature had dispelled, leaving it once again an irrepressible storm of light and power. He glanced sideways at Luminara, who had her eyes closed as she no doubt searched for Barriss amongst the background of the Temple. After a moment, her posture relaxed microscopically, and she let out a tiny, but relieved, breath.

"She's okay?" He asked.

Luminara nodded. "Mmm. Better than she was, at least. Naruto also seems to have recovered his spirit. Whatever he faced on his Ordeal, he overcame it admirably."

"Of course he did." Jiraiya hoped, in vain, that his bluster would cover just how concerned he'd been about his godson. As it was, Luminara didn't call him out, but she did lay one hand over his. A warm wave of comfort, liberally tinged with amusement, flowed across the contact, and he felt the last of the stress wash from his soul.

"They're strong," she said. "All of them are, and they have each other to lean on. If there's one thing Naruto does better than anyone else in the galaxy, it's give and receive strength from his friends."

He gave her a warm smile and turned his hand over to interlace his fingers with hers. She reciprocated eagerly, and her smaller, near-delicate looking hand almost vanished in his larger, calloused one. Despite the size difference, he could feel the iron strength hiding in her slim fingers. They stayed like that, holding hands, until they landed in the Temple's main hangar.

Much to both their delight, Naruto and Barriss were waiting for them in the hangar, alongside Master Windu, Master Yoda, and Master Poof. Predictably, Naruto was visibly impatient, though he hid it well. Jiraiya could spot the slight twitch in his fingers and the coiled energy in his shoulders that betrayed his otherwise calm demeanor. He'd gotten better at feigning patience, but he still had a long way to go before he could fool a former Sannin. Mace made a tiny gesture, and Naruto took a breath and relaxed.

Surprisingly, Barriss was also fidgety. Normally, the 15-year-old Mirialan girl was the picture of Jedi calm and reserve, much as Luminara was. Now, though, she was so tense it looked as though she'd stepped on a live wire, and a poorly concealed mixture of happiness and worry played across her face. Even more surprisingly, he sensed a little of the same nervous energy in Luminara when she saw the girl.

The Council members just looked grim. Yoda, in particular looked weary and tired. The old Grandmaster never looked young, exactly, but he typically exuded such a sense of energy and vigor that his physical age seemed irrelevant. Not now, though. Now, the lines in his face were somehow deeper, the droop of his ears a little lower, and the set of his shoulders a little more hunched than Jiraiya had ever seen. It was subtle, practically invisible to anyone who didn't know the venerable Jedi well, but it was there. He recognized the signs of stressful dealings with the Senate. His master had many virtues, but suffering fools wasn't one of them. He could and would offer sage advice and wise counsel to any who sought it, but he had precious little time for bleating or hysterics. There were few surer ways to exhaust Yoda's seemingly boundless patience and vitality than navigating the treacherous waters of Senate politics when the body was feeling belligerent. In recent years, they had rarely been anything but.

'No doubt that pack of scurriers and carrion pickers has been hounding him for answers over what happened on Nar Shaddaa. Who knows what the holonews has been spinning?' Personally, Jiraiya found it impressive Yoda was even still willing to entertain the Senate's antics as much as he did. Then again, he'd lived most of his life in service to a military dictatorship. The value of a democracy was occasionally still academic to him. It didn't help that the Republic, taken as a whole, was hardly a prime example of such a government.

"Welcome back, both of you," Master Poof said, pulling him from his musings. "I wish I could give you more time to rest, but I'm afraid the Council and the Senate have… questions. Questions only you can answer."

"We understand," Luminara said, ever respectful. "However, I have a promise to fulfill to Barriss first. It won't take long." Barriss grew even stiffer, if it was possible, and her eyes widened to comic proportions. Jiraiya had to swallow a chuckle at how ridiculous the poor girl looked.

"Of course. A priority, such things should take," Yoda said. His eyes glimmered with a bit of joy, and several dozen years seemed to slide from his shoulders. "Initiate Offee, step forward."

Barriss shot a nervous glance at Naruto, who gave her an eye-smile in response. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and took a few steps to stand in front of Luminara. The older woman smiled at her, and some of the tension left her body.

"Barriss Offee, I would take you as my Padawan learner. Do you accept?"

Barriss bowed deeply. Though her hands were shaking a little, when she spoke, her voice was steady and clear. "It would be my honor to learn from you, Master. I accept you as my Jedi Master."

Every Jedi present felt the beginnings of a Force bond snap into place. It was still weak; it would take time and meditation to cement it properly, but it was there. The look of fierce pride and joy that flashed across Barriss' face was a warming sight indeed. Jiraiya couldn't claim to know the girl well, but from what he'd seen, she allowed herself far too little happiness for his liking.

"May the Force be with you in your journey together," Master Poof said. Yoda and Mace added their own congratulations. When Barriss went to bow again, though, she failed to conceal a wince. Jiraiya abruptly realized much of her stiffness resulted from still healing injuries rather than simple nerves. Luminara spotted it as well, and he felt a flutter of concern from her for her new apprentice.

"Barriss, for your first task as my Padawan, you're to go back to the Halls of Healing. I'm sure whatever Healer Naruto whisked you away from is anxious for your return. I will meet you there later to show you to our new quarters."

Naruto let out a little snort at being called out so blatantly, but otherwise gave no reaction. Barriss inclined her head. "Yes, master." Taking obvious pains to avoid straining her leg, she limped out of the room. For a moment, silence ruled the air, before Naruto broke it with the one question Jiraiya knew he would ask. The one question he didn't want to answer.

"So, did you get her? Did you get Sing?" His voice was even, but it cut Jiraiya like a knife.

'Funny. You'd think I'd be used to giving him bad news by now,' he thought bitterly. His mind flashed back to all the other times he'd been the voice and face of ill tidings for his godson. Telling him about the death of the Sandaime, about the Akatsuki, about the harsh reality of Sasuke's betrayal and their departure from Konoha, and about the truth of his parents. It never got any easier, and this time certainly wouldn't be an exception. With a silent plea to the Force for Naruto to forgive him, he screwed up his courage and broke the news.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, but we didn't. We had her, but someone- but things went wrong and she got away." He'd been about to tell him the full story, but a sharp mental prod from Yoda stopped him. It seemed the Grandmaster wanted the Council to hear the full report before disseminating it to others. That, or he just didn't want to hear the story more than he had to.

"She… got away?" Naruto's face wavered between shock and anger as he processed the news. Anger won, and he made to say something, no doubt vitriolic, when his mouth closed with an audible click and he turned to stare at Mace. The stern Master stared right back, and though Jiraiya wasn't privy to whatever mental conversation they were having, the result was obvious. Naruto's shoulders slumped, and he took a calming breath as he turned back to face Jiraiya and Luminara.

"Sorry. That was- I'm sure you did everything you could." His apology sounded sincere enough, but that disappointment was still plain to hear. Still, when Jiraiya moved to put his hand on his shoulder, he didn't shy away.

"It's alright. I promise, after Luminara and I give our report to the Council, I'll tell you what happened. I imagine you have a story or two to tell, too."

"Hmm," Naruto grunted in the affirmative. Yoda glanced at the disgruntled Padawan and poked him in the shin with his gimmer stick.

"Forgotten my words already, have you? Do not dwell on the negative. Found Aurra once, we did. Find her again, we will. Patience, mrrrhm yes. A Jedi's greatest tool, patience is."

"Yes, master," Naruto said. He sounded skeptical, but Yoda paid it no mind. Jiraiya figured he was used to it. Without a word, he turned and hobbled off towards the lift. Apparently that was the signal to follow him to the Council chamber, because Mace, after he dismissed Naruto to go meditate, and Yarael followed him. Luminara gave him a nudge, and they set off as well.

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Their report to the Council went smoothly at first. He summarized their initial investigation and his conversation with Cid, though he left her name out. He'd already pissed her off enough. If she found out he'd told the Jedi Council about her, she'd skin him alive. Or start charging him for her services. He didn't know which one scared him more. Cid was of the opinion that life was precious. Specifically, her life. She knew its value to the last credit and charged accordingly for her information.

Their decision (and Luminara insisted it had been their decision and not just his) to enter Hutt Space without permission drew no small amount of criticism, particularly from Masters Tiin and Rancisis. 'No surprises there,' he thought. 'Those two would give Homura and Koharu a run for their money when it comes to being sticklers for the rules.' They asked both he and Luminara, over and over again, why they hadn't contacted the Senate, why they'd been so reckless, if there hadn't been some other, wiser way. It took twenty minutes before they finally let the matter drop.

The real point of consternation, however, came when he mentioned the lightsaber-wielding woman who'd attacked them. Apparently, security footage of the mysterious assassin had all but taken over the holonews ever since their battle, but it was poor quality, and showed little of their duel. The red lightsabers were clearly visible, though, as was the skill with which she wielded them. Rampant speculation, particularly in the Senate, had her pegged as everything from a tech-savvy bounty hunter to a rogue Jedi to an ancient Sith Lord returned from the grave. It would have been comedic in other circumstance.

"You're certain she was a Sith assassin?" Master Poof asked, leaning forward in his chair. With his exceptionally long neck, it made for quite a sight. His pale, bulbous eyes stared, unblinking, at Jiraiya's face. It was disconcerting to see the normally easygoing, good humored Master so intense.

"As certain as I can be," Jiraiya replied. "She was well trained, but not like a Jedi. She used the Dark side like it was an extension of her own body, as easy as breathing. Someone had to teach her that. Someone skilled."

"Dooku, you believe it was," Yoda said. It wasn't a question. "Proof, have you?"

He shook his head. "Not definitively, no. All I have is one of her lightsabers and what I saw of her style during our duel."

Yarael spoke up again. "Show us the blade you took from her. Perhaps we can see something you missed. Some of us have built nearly as many lightsabers as young Skywalker, after all."

The joke lightened the atmosphere a bit, and Jiraiya even heard a few soft chuckles. Anakin had something of a reputation for going through lightsabers at a remarkable pace, either because of damage or his endless desire to tinker with and rebuild everything in sight. He obliged, and the Council passed the curved hilt from member to member. Either by coincidence or some unspoken agreement, Yoda was the last to receive it.

"Someone certainly designed this for Makashi," Mace said. "However, I cannot say for certain if Dooku had a hand in its construction. Master Yoda?"

The wrinkled Grandmaster turned the saber hilt over in one gnarled claw. "Used for evil, this blade has been. Strong in the Dark side, its wielder was. Similar to my old Padawan's blade it is, but not the same. Too personal lightsabers are to be sure." He looked up, an unreadable expression in his ancient, muddy eyes. "Jiraiya, allow me to see your memories of the duel, will you?"

He nodded without hesitation. Once, the thought of allowing anyone into his mind would have been anathema. Even now, he could count the number of people he trusted like that on one hand. Yoda had earned his position on that list a dozen times over since taking him as a Padawan, though. The old man's gratitude at that trust flowed down their bond before Jiraiya felt the touch of another mind on his.

Yoda's mind was vast and strange, like a great tree, strong and gnarled with age. His thoughts wound and billowed in ways Jiraiya could barely follow, and that was just for the part of his master's consciousness he was directly in contact with. He could sense the rest of his mind extending back into distant, twilight mists beyond his perception. It wasn't the first time they'd shared this sort of mental connection, but every time they did, he couldn't help but marvel at what 900 years of wisdom and experience looked like through the Force.

'Too easily impressed you are.' Yoda's voice emanated from the vast, alien consciousness. 'Nothing special about me there is, save my age.'

Jiraiya wasn't sure how to give a skeptical snort inside the confines of his mind, but from the wry amusement he sensed from his master, the sentiment got across at least.

Once he was sure of their connection, Yoda delved into his mind, making straight for the memories of his recent mission. He was careful to tread gently, keeping far from anything save the duel in question. Jiraiya felt the strange sensation of experiencing someone else remembering his own memory. It was rather like watching a holofilm of someone else wearing your clothes; familiar, but just different enough to be eerie. The images flickered by, too fast for him to process. He wasn't sure how Yoda could discern anything at that speed, but he seemed to know what he was doing. Once, twice, then three times he went over the memory, until at last, satisfied, he withdrew. The outside world returned in a rush of color and sensation that had Jiraiya shaking his head a little to regain his bearings. Yoda grunted briefly, closed his eyes, and lapsed into a contemplative silence.

"Master Yoda?" Yarael asked. Yoda was still and silent for a few seconds more before he opened his eyes and responded.

"Clouded by the Dark side, this line of questioning is. The assassin, several styles was she trained in. Basic Jedi training I saw, old but well remembered. Other styles there were, too. Rattataki martial arts, I believe. Recognize the exact style, I did not. On top of all those, trained in Makashi she was."

Mace pursed his lips, the only sign of emotion on his otherwise unreadable face. "Could you tell if it was Dooku's style?"

Yoda shook his head, his ears flapping gently. "Too raw she was, and the duel was too brief. Dooku's training, it could be, but say for certain I cannot." His eyes narrowed, and he murmured, as if talking to himself. "Deception and shadows. Always deception and shadows."

The Council sat for a while, communicating in glances and head tilts and acrobatic eyebrows for those members blessed with such. Jiraiya couldn't follow all of it, but he gathered they were unsure of how to proceed with such limited information. Finally, Yaddle decided to actually speak aloud. "I am more concerned with this assassin's companions. You are sure they were Gossam commandos?"

Luminara nodded. "I encountered them several times as a Knight, during the Commerce Guild riots on Castell. Their tactics and equipment were unmistakable. There was another, though. Some sort of bounty hunter. He called himself Durge. I've never encountered his species before, but he had the most powerful regenerative capabilities of any being I've ever encountered. He was fast, skilled, and very well armed. The Hutts gave him command of every bounty hunter on Nar Shaddaa during their search for us."

Several heads turned to face Plo Koon. As the acknowledged expert on the underworld among those present, if anyone knew who the mysterious Durge was, it would be him. Sure enough, he didn't disappoint. "Master Sinube would know more, but I've heard that name several times over the years. Supposedly, Durge is one of the last Gen'Dai; a race renowned for their regenerative abilities. Details about him are scarce, but he appears every few decades, and usually leaves considerable carnage in his wake before going dormant again. From most reports, he is effectively unkillable. You say you defeated him?"

"I hit him with a Sage-powered rasengan," Jiraiya said. "It tore him to shreds, literally. You're saying he survived that?"

"In all likelihood, yes," Plo answered. "He has been confirmed to have survived similar wounds in the past. It will take time, perhaps a few weeks, but I expect he is recovering even now."

"A danger this bounty hunter may be, but the Gossam commandos represent something worse," Yaddle said, gently dragging the discussion back on track. "The Commerce Guild is, officially, neutral in the Separatist affair, but its leader, Shu Mai, is known to be an ally of Count Dooku. She supports the Separatist movement behind the scenes. The Guild acts as the de facto government of the Gossam homeworld and controls the military completely. If those commandos were on Nar Shaddaa, it was with the Guild's knowledge and permission."

"We've long suspected the Sith's hand in the Separatist crisis," Master Tiin said. "Now, we have proof. We must inform the Senate. Even if Dooku hasn't fallen, it's clear the Sith are in control."

Yoda frowned. "Clear? Nothing clear about this do I see. Doubt and deception are the tools of the Sith, and used them well they have. Too many questions still unanswered there are. Want Aurra Sing, why do they? Perhaps ordered her actions they did. Perhaps not. If fumble blindly we do, it is war we risk."

"There is also the matter of Black Sun," Plo Koon said. "Aurra confessed they ordered the attack on Rago, and then a Separatist strike team led by a Sith assassin extracts her from Jedi custody. We must consider the possibility of a link between all three organizations; the Sith, the Separatists, and Black Sun. Such an alliance would represent the greatest existential threat to the Republic in a millennium. We must be cautious."

Jiraiya had stood silent for all of this, but finally he had to speak. There was too much at stake to say nothing. "If I may, masters, don't we already risk war by doing nothing?" Yoda gave him a measured look before gesturing for him to continue. "We may not know everything, but it is clear the Separatists are at least pawns of the Sith. Waiting and keeping this to ourselves only works to their advantage. Telling the Senate may be our only chance to avoid war."

As usual, silence greeted his words. Less usually, this silence wasn't pregnant with disdain or recrimination. Even Tiin and Rancisis were giving his proposal serious thought. Yoda's face was unreadable, but Jiraiya could sense his mind churning through their bond, looking for options, for some way to hold the whole rickety edifice that was the Republic and the Jedi Order together. From the minute droop of his ears, he was coming up short. Finally, he nodded his head.

"My Padawan speaks wisely. More questions than answers we may have, but the connection between the Sith and the Separatists, undeniable it now is. Unsure I still am though, of involving the Senate yet. Not enough facts do we have. Tell them only enough to frighten them we could."

Mace cut in, and his firm voice cut through the air like a spear. "We may not have any choice in the matter. The Senate is demanding answers about what exactly happened on Nar Shaddaa. The Hutts are exerting pressure, and public sentiment is turning against us the longer we stay silent. What's more, I do not believe we have the right to withhold information of this magnitude from them. I suggest we contact a few of the more level-headed Senators and tell them the full story. They will know how best to frame this for the rest of their colleagues."

Master Poof nodded sagely. "You speak wisely, though I suspect the situation is more fraught than even we know. Nevertheless, Senators Amidala, Mothma, and Organa seem ideal for the task. They should be able to minimize the chaos, at least. Those in favor?"

The vote was all but perfunctory. Even the least observant spectator would have been able to see which way the Council was leaning. Aye after aye sounded out as the vote went around the room. In the end, even Yoda lent his vote to the plan. With unanimous support, Yarael clapped his hands for attention.

"It is decided. I will contact Senator Amidala's office and arrange a meeting for tomorrow. In the morning, Master Unduli, Jiraiya, and Naruto will meet Master Yoda, Master Windu and myself at the Processional Way. Until then, this Council is dismissed."

With that, the various Masters stood and filed out of the room. Jiraiya caught a few snatches of conversation, some of it about the likely reaction in the Senate, others about what the mess hall was serving, but he tuned it out. For now, he had a no doubt restless godson to speak to. Yoda apparently had other ideas, though.

'Wait, Padawan,' he sent just before he walked out. 'More to talk about, I sense we have.'

Jiraiya paused mid-step. There was no censure in his master's mind that he could sense, but he could tell by his tone (was that even the right word for a telepathic voice?) this would be a serious conversation. It reminded him of the tone Sarutobi-sensei used before broaching a particularly heavy topic. For a moment, he wanted to protest. Naruto was no doubt waiting for him, and he wanted nothing more than to find his godson and make sure he really was alright. He respected Yoda more than any being he'd met since arriving in the future, though, and it occurred to him the old man might need to talk even more than Naruto at the moment. Luminara looked askance when he stopped in the doorway, but he gestured for her to go without him and turned to face his master.

Once the last of the other Jedi had left, Yoda gestured with his hand, and one of the Council chairs floated through the air and settled down in front of his own. Jiraiya took the unspoken invitation and gratefully sank into the padded seat. He may have been the very picture of health and fitness, but he was also a man whose knees would never see fifty again, and it was nice to sit down in a chair that wasn't molded from duraplast. Yoda must have caught the edge of his thoughts, because a tiny smirk lifted one corner of his mouth.

"When in the same room as I am, no right have you to complain about age," he grumbled. "More aches and pains have I than time left to tell of them." Jiraiya, who'd sparred with his master many times and had seen firsthand what he could do, aches and pains and all, merely raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"You have to admit, these are comfortable chairs," he said. Yoda chuckled and nodded sagely.

"Mmm, yes. Not long will it be, I think, before one of them is yours. Perhaps then, not so flippant with the Code will you be."

If he'd had a drink, Jiraiya would have choked on it. Sadly, circumstances did not allow for any spit takes or comical pratfalls. The chair was too comfy to fall out of, anyway. As it was, he merely inhaled sharply and his eyes went wide.

"Master, if this has to do with Lu- with Master Unduli-"

Yoda cut him off with a poke of his cane. "If speak of Master Unduli I wished to, then still here she would be. Discussed your views on the Code enough for now we have. Know you, I do. Taught me much I should have known about the Light, you have. Fear you will Fall, I do not. But hide such a thing as this from your master, you cannot. Old am I, not senile." He cackled a little at Jiraiya's sheepish expression before his face once again became grave. "Your decision it is who to tell. But now, more than ever, trust there must be between us. Between all Jedi. With Dooku Fallen, at risk everything is."

He frowned. "I thought you said there wasn't proof…"

Yoda grunted and waved a clawed hand. "Proof? No. But lie to myself I will not. Ignore what the Force is telling me, I will not. Not anymore." His wizened face crumpled for a moment into a look of profound grief. "A Sith my old apprentice has become."

Jiraiya didn't really know what to say to that. He'd experienced just about every form of loss there was, but not this. Sarutobi-sensei probably could have empathized better, but the old monkey wasn't here. He was, and, as usual, he didn't know what to do. For lack of any better options, he opted for brutal honesty.

"I don't know what to say, but I'm sorry this happened."

Yoda didn't seem to have heard him. "The best of us he was. Strongest. Wisest. Most gifted with blade and Force alike. My greatest student. My greatest failure."

"Dooku's Fall is not your fault," Jiraiya said, harsher than he meant to. He wasn't offended by the implication that Dooku had been a better Padawan than him. His and Yoda's relationship was closer to a mutual partnership than a traditional master-student one. He hadn't been a child, unmolded and full of unrealized potential when Yoda had taken him on. The Grandmaster had taught him how to be a Jedi, but he hadn't truly shaped him. If anything, Jiraiya suspected Yoda had changed more out of the two of them during their time together. However, he would not abide by his master blaming himself for another student's failures. "His decisions, whatever they were, were his own. You wouldn't take credit for his successes, so don't bear the burden of his failures."

Yoda shook his head. "Misunderstand me you do. Blame myself I do not. But responsibility I still bear. See his doubts I did not, until it was too late. Listen to him I did not, and when he left, failed to ask why, I did. Stubborn and proud I was, and blinded by fear." For a moment, he looked lost in the past, but then he straightened and waved away the cobwebs of memories. "Unimportant, that is now. Involved in the attack on Rago, I sense the Sith were. If for nothing else, for Viir's death they will answer."

In that moment, as a shadow passed over Yoda's face, Jiraiya glimpsed the other side of his master. Over eight centuries as a Jedi had granted him immense wisdom, boundless compassion, and a love of life that could outshine stars, but it had also given him an unrivaled will and the sort of protectiveness typically associated with rancors defending their pups. Viir's death had not angered him, precisely. No, whatever nameless feeling it had roused in his master's heart was calm and righteous and made mere murderous rage look like a gentle lullaby. What he'd just said was a fact, immutable as gravity and inevitable as death. The Sith would pay for their part in Viir's murder. Jiraiya was as sure of that as of anything in the universe. The figure before him, all cosmic power and relentless drive, would see it done. Then the shadow moved, the moment passed, and Yoda was once again a wizened little troll with kind eyes and a face full of smile lines. He huffed and waved off any further questions.

"A matter for the future, that must be. For now, your advice I wish, and a task for you I have."

Jiraiya blinked as he tried to switch mental gears. Conversations with Yoda were often like this, and left him with a sense of tap dancing on an avalanche as he tried to keep up, but this one was even more confusing than most.

"What do you need?" He leaned forward subconsciously. The only reason for Yoda to be giving him a mission now, rather than in front of the whole Council, was because it required utmost secrecy.

"So long as Dooku leads the Separatists, impossible to avoid, war may be. However, if expose him as a Sith we can, then turn against him many will. Still remember the horrors of the last Sith war many do."

Jiraiya pursed his lips and thought for a moment. "The Separatists will never believe us if we just accuse him. We need proof."

"Mmm, indeed. Proof is what you shall find, Padawan. Proof that Dooku is a Sith." Yoda leaned forward. "And another thing you shall do. Investigate everything Dooku did in the time leading up to his resignation from the Jedi Order. If betrayed us he had already, then know this we must. Discover what guided his Fall."

Jiraiya spotted the meaning under Yoda's words in a heartbeat. "You think he's working with someone. Someone we don't know about."

Yoda's eyes grew distant as he cast his mind far back into the past. "Always two there are. A Master and an Apprentice. One to hold the power and one to crave it. Operated this way since the rise of Darth Bane, the Sith have. Thought his line broken with his Apprentice, we did, but survive Darth Zannah must have."

"Which do you think Dooku is? The Master or the Apprentice?"

Yoda shook his head. "Clouded this matter is. If the Master Dooku now is, then more dangerous is he than we imagined. If the Apprentice he remains…"

"Then his Master is still out there somewhere," Jiraiya finished. "Hidden and anonymous."

"Indeed. Destroy the Sith we must, so find them we must. Trust this task to you, I do. Find how deep Dooku's treachery goes."

He nodded. Already, ideas and plans were brewing in the back of his mind. If Dooku had been a traitor as far back as before he left the Order, then there were any number of subtle ways he might have compromised them. Before he could wander too far down that mental scurrier hole, though, he remembered what else his master had said.

"You said you wanted my advice?" He wasn't sure what exactly he was qualified to advise Yoda in, aside from shinobi techniques, but he'd give it his best shot.

Yoda nodded slowly and took a long time to respond. When he spoke, his voice was solemn, almost reluctant. "If come to war it does, think you the Jedi should fight?"

'Ah,' he thought. 'There it is.' In all the time they'd spent discussing the possibility of war, all the subtle changes he'd convinced his master to implement so the Jedi wouldn't be caught on the back foot, this was the one question they'd both studiously avoided. Oh, they'd talked about what to do if the Jedi wound up fighting and how the Order might get caught up in any potential conflict, but they'd never directly confronted the moral question of ifthe Jedi should fight at all. 'Perhaps neither of us wanted to say our thoughts out loud. That has a disturbing way of making them real.'

He took a moment to compose his thoughts before he spoke. This wasn't the sort of thing he wanted to treat lightly. There were a dozen different arguments he could have made, from the Order's legal duty to the Senate to the strategic advantages of having Jedi in a military chain of command. However, in the end, it all boiled down to one thing. "The Sith are evil. They must be opposed. If not by us, then by who? We can't let the Republic face this threat alone, and we can't let the Separatists become the unwitting tools of a new Sith regime."

Yoda sighed, but nodded his wrinkled head. "Tragic it will be, if march to war the Jedi must. But done so we have in the past, and do so again we will if necessary. Allow the Sith to wreak havoc once more, I will not." Looking at him now, Jiraiya remembered Yoda wasn't that much younger than the current iteration of the Republic he served. In his Padawan days, many of the longer lived Masters would have served in the Army of Light, or known those who did. He was probably one of the few beings still alive who could appreciate the sort of evil a resurgent Sith Order represented. It was humbling that such a being would seek his advice and entrust him with such vital tasks.

'I will live up to his trust,' Jiraiya promised himself. His reverie broke when Yoda poked his knee with his cane.

"Hmmf. Kept you long enough, I have. Speak with young Naruto, you should. Much you have to tell each other, and sense his impatience from here, I can. Find him you should, before he explodes." The familiar gleam of joy and mischief had returned to his eye. After the grim conversation they'd just had, Jiraiya didn't need telling twice to go find Naruto. He bid a hasty, but respectful goodbye to his master, and sped out of the room.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Naruto glared at the display in front of him, willing the progress bar to creep forward faster. It ignored him, of course, but he glared anyway. It made him feel better, and that was better than nothing. Certainly it was better than focusing on the glacial passage of time as he waited for Jiraiya to find him and tell him why, exactly, Aurra Sing was still alive and free.

He wasn't mad at his godfather, exactly. Missions went to scud sometimes; he knew that better than most. Trying to capture a criminal as dangerous as Aurra Sing would never be simple, and he refused to blame Jiraiya or Luminara for something outside their control. Having them back safe and unharmed was worth any amount of frustration over Sing getting away. That didn't make the frustration any easier to stomach, though.

His teeth ground together as the image of Sing's insane smile drifted through his mind, followed by the stomach clenching memory of Viir lying motionless on the ground. Anger bubbled up in his chest and threatened to spill out of his control until he felt a firm hand grab his shoulder and a familiar presence lend him strength. Mace didn't say anything, but the concern and mild reproach came across their bond crystal clear. Naruto noted, with some surprise, that he'd bent the ion wrench in his hands clear in half without even realizing it.

"Sorry, master," he mumbled. "I just- it isn't easy. Knowing she's still out there."

"You do not have to explain yourself, Naruto. Recovery is rarely a linear process, and passing the Ordeal does not mean you have completely healed. However, that is not an excuse to lose control." Mace's voice shifted into the more lecturing tone he used when conveying some important lesson. "Consider why her escape upsets you so much. Is it because she is evil and has once again fled to wreak more havoc and destruction? Or is it because you wished vengeance on her, and now that satisfaction is delayed?"

Naruto didn't answer, which he knew was an answer in itself. His eyes dropped to the floor, and he felt his face burn with shame. 'I should be better than this,' he thought. 'I'm a Jedi Padawan. Revenge and anger aren't the right path. They just perpetuate the cycle of hatred.' In his mind, he heard a bitter scoff.

'What utter foolishness! Anger and hate drive us all. They are the source of my power. They are what has kept me alive.'

'And your life has been fucking splendid?' Naruto shot back. 'I don't care what you think. Hatred only leads to more suffering. I can do better than that. And so could you, if you would just let yourself.'

The Kyuubi growled, long and low, but made no reply as he retreated into the recesses of the seal.

Mace squeezed his shoulder and pulled his attention back to the present. His gaze was serious now, and it pierced right through Naruto's brief attempt at nonchalance. "You will meditate on this later. Revenge is a poison; one that will consume you if you let it. I will help you, but you must find a way to seek justice rather than vengeance."

Naruto pursed his lips beneath the mask and nodded. Mace gave him one last long look before he let his shoulder go and leaned back in his chair. Once again, there was nothing to hear in the room but the low hum of machinery and computers. One-Wan had sent Ahsoka to bed once he'd returned from the hangar, much to her intense displeasure. There was an art to arguing with his eyebrows, however; one she hadn't learned yet (not that she had proper eyebrows, but her markings were close enough for humans to interpret). Once Mace had gotten back from the Council meeting, both of them had retired for the evening as well. Naruto had insisted he was fine overseeing the data transfer of Huyang's memory banks on his own, but his master had simply pulled up a chair and sat down. Though he hadn't said anything until just now, Naruto was glad of the company. Being alone wasn't something he knew how to do all that well.

Not long after Mace broke him out of his spiral of frustrated rage, he felt his godfather's solid presence descend from the Council spire and head towards them. A few minutes later, the door of the tech lab hissed open and Jiraiya stepped into the room. He and Mace traded a significant look, and Jiraiya gave him a grateful nod. Mace nodded back and stood up. "I will be in our quarters if you wish to talk later."

Jiraiya waited until he'd left before he pulled up a chair of his own and sat down facing Naruto. "I know I already said it, but I'm sorry. I failed, and you have every right to be mad about that."

Naruto frowned. "I'm not… mad at you," he said, and wished it sounded more convincing. "I just want to know what happened. How did she get away from you?"

"She had help," Jiraiya began, and he once again relayed the story of what had happened on Nar Shaddaa. It took about half an hour for him to tell the full tale, during which Naruto sat quietly and listened. When he finished, Jiraiya looked questioningly at him, as if waiting for judgment. Naruto wasn't even looking his way, though. He gazed unseeing into the distance as his mind whirled at hyperspeed. For the first time since he'd heard that Aurra escaped, anger was the furthest thing from his mind. Eventually, he refocused on his godfather, who was by now looking nervous at the long silence.

"So… it was the Sith," he said hesitantly. "I know you said she told you it was Black Sun who ordered the attack, but really it was the Sith."

"I honestly don't know. She wasn't lying when she said Black Sun hired her. I'm sure of that. You've certainly given them reason to want you dead over the years. But the Sith and the Separatists were definitely involved somehow. Either way, I promise, Aurra and the Mandalorians she hired will pay for their crimes. No matter how long it takes, we will bring them to justice."

Naruto nodded, and his eyes turned hard for a moment as his fists clenched. "I know. But what does all this mean? The Sith, the Separatist movement, Black Sun?"

"It means it's time to step up your training. Whatever the future holds, I'm going to make sure you're ready to face it."

Naruto's eyes went wide. "Does that mean-"

Jiraiya nodded. "Not now, but soon. Ma and Pa have already started looking into it. It's their decision, in the end, but I'd guess in the next year or two."

Naruto gave an eye-smile and leapt to his feet with a cheer. "Awesome!"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Don't get too excited. Between Mace and I, we'll be working you to the bone. But anyway, it's your turn to share. How'd it go on Lothal?"

As soon as he heard the question, Naruto froze. His cheers trailed off into nervous laughter and he scratched the back of his head. "Well, uh, it's funny you should ask…"

"Oh?" Jiraiya smiled, but a suspicious gleam entered his eyes. "Do tell, kid."

"I may, possibly, have… made a deal with the Kyuubi. And I also might have… sort of… altered the seal a bit."

Jiraiya's smile froze, like it had been cast in wax. A muscle under his left eye twitched, and he blinked twice as the words worked their way through his mind.

…

…

…

"YOU WHAT?!"

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

When Bail Organa had contacted her the previous evening with news that the Jedi had requested a meeting to discuss the fiasco on Nar Shaddaa, Padmé had been both relieved and confused. Relieved because, even with the full efforts of the Supreme Chancellor, herself, and her fellow diplomatically minded colleagues, the tension between the Separatist sympathizers and the rest of the Senate was rapidly approaching the boiling point. With the Hutts pressuring both sides for answers, she'd estimated no more than two more days before things turned violent. The Jedi had been infuriatingly tight-lipped so far about why two of their members had been on Nar Shaddaa in the first place, and even less forthcoming about the holonews reports and security footage of a female warrior wielding red lightsabers dueling a Jedi amidst a massive firefight. Even considering her patience and friendship with the Order, she'd been ready to scream from frustration. Answers, any answers, would at least provide options for de-escalating the situation, and she welcomed the news wholeheartedly.

However, she couldn't help but suspect deeper reasons behind Master Poof's request than just answering questions. After all, the Jedi had the right to address the whole Senate at any time, not to mention the ear of the Chancellor. They hardly needed to go through the hassle of setting up a meeting with a handful of Senators just to give their report on Nar Shaddaa. Even if they were at fault, which she dearly hoped they weren't, it wouldn't change anything. No, she'd been sure there was something else going on; something the Jedi wanted political consultation on. She couldn't have possibly guessed how right she was.

Now, as Padmé looked at the cold, hard expressions of all the Jedi in front of her, she had to suppress a shiver. Jedi may not have been ones for anger, as such, but they certainly did fury well enough. She'd always been more comfortable around Jedi than most, and she probably had the best relationship with the Order of any Senator. That was why they were all here today. Naruto was a good friend, as was Obi-Wan, and Anakin had become… something more. She was so used to seeing them as that, as friends, advisors, and even saviors, that she occasionally forgot how dangerous they truly were. Not now, though. Now, she was acutely aware of just how much power stood in the room with her, and how furious those who wielded it were over the attack on Rago. "We will not forget this," those expressions said. "Justice may take time, but it will come."

She'd never known patience could be so terrifying before. However, she could hardly blame them for their fury. Her own hands were clenched tight, and deep scratches marred the chair's upholstery from where her nails had scraped across it. From out of the corner of her eye, she could see Bail's jaw set in anger and Mon's lips were a razor thin line. For a long few moments, no one spoke.

"Well… this certainly explains why you chose to pursue Aurra Sing into Hutt territory," Bail eventually said. "You have my deepest sympathies for this atrocity. But I'm still uncertain why you asked to meet with us in particular. The Hutts may not like it, but even the Separatist faction would understand why you infiltrated Nar Shaddaa if you told this to the Senate. Why this delay?"

Yoda spoke up for the first time since they'd exchanged greetings. "More complicated than anyone could have expected the situation has become. If handled poorly this is, disastrous it could be for the galaxy. Come to light, evidence has, that more than just the leader of the Separatist movement Count Dooku may be."

This time, when Yoda and Yarael had finished speaking, it took almost five minutes of stunned silence for her and her colleagues to fully digest what they'd just heard. The Sith, an ancient nightmare now more legend than fact, had returned. Dooku, already the biggest disrupter of galactic order since the Great Hyperspace Disaster, was a potential Sith Lord. The Separatist Movement, the Corporate Alliance, and possibly even Black Sun, all danced to his tune. Her mind reeled at the potential implications.

"This- when the Senate hears this, it will mean war." She hadn't even realized she'd spoken out loud, but Master Poof replied anyway.

"That is why we came to you. You three have all been friends of the Order for some time now, and you are all committed to peace. With your help, we believe war is not yet inevitable."

Ever sharp, Bail was the first to grasp the hidden meaning behind his words. "You want us to frame this information so it doesn't ignite immediate conflict." His eyes narrowed shrewdly. "Why us? You could have brought this straight to Chancellor Palpatine."

"The Chancellor must maintain at least the appearance of neutrality if he is to continue to act as a mediator between the factions in the Senate," Yarael said. "As for you three, you are all respected by a majority of both sides. Your integrity is unimpeachable. That reputation alone should force otherwise unwilling ears to listen."

Padmé pursed her lips. "I fear you're overestimating our influence. Given how tense things are, I'm not sure there's any way to present this information and avoid bloodshed." She hated admitting it, but the grim reality of the situation loomed in her mind like a specter.

"Have faith we do, that find one you will," Yoda said, a hint of his characteristic warmth creeping into his voice. "The only hope of preventing war it is."

The faith of one so venerated as Yoda was no small thing, and it weighed on her mind almost as much as the thought of a potential war. Mon and Bail were clearly of the same opinion, and Bail took a moment to compose himself before speaking.

"Thank you all for sharing this with us, and again, you have my sincerest condolences for your loss. We'll begin planning our strategy right away. I promise to do everything in my power to prevent this crisis from escalating any further."

"As do I," Mon said.

"You have my word as well," Padmé added. "We won't let you down."

Yarael and the others bowed respectfully and thanked them before walking out. As Naruto left, Padmé felt a sympathetic pang at his solemn expression. Dredging up such recent trauma couldn't have been easy, especially for someone who loved his friends so fiercely as he did. More than anything, she wanted to grab him up in a hug, find Anakin, and give Naruto the comfort of his brother and friends. Indeed, after the stress of the past few days and the awful revelations of the past few minutes, she ached for Anakin's comforting presence herself. As it had so often in the past, though, duty bade her stay and find some way of salvaging this awful situation. Naruto and Anakin wouldn't thank her for neglecting her responsibilities for their sake, and she'd never forgive herself if she did it for hers. With one last reassuring look at Naruto, a silent promise that they'd talk later, she turned her attention back to her colleagues and the job at hand.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

In the end, it took the entire rest of the day for them to hash out a plan they all felt had at least some chance of success. Padmé wasn't particularly optimistic, but she would sooner take up a career as a spice miner on Kessel than let the Republic she served fall into war without a fight. At the very least, she thought they stood a good chance of swaying the more moderate members of the Separatist faction away from immediate secession. Mina Bonteri may have been a Separatist, but Padmé refused to believe she wasn't also still the same even keeled, fair-minded woman who'd mentored her all those years ago. If they could get just a few like her on their side, there was a chance things might, if not calm down, then at least not escalate further.

It was two hours past sunset by the time Padmé left the conference room. Her head was swimming from all the different treaties and treatises and legal codes she'd poured over in the last few hours, and her body cried out for sleep. As such, when she walked into her office, it didn't immediately register that the light was already on and she wasn't the only one in there.

"Hey there, Padmé."

"Gyah!" She jumped most of a meter in the air and nearly fell on her face when an unexpected voice startled her from her daze. As she brought her head rate back under control, she glanced at the source of her sudden fright to see Naruto sitting in one of her chairs, eyeing her with faint amusement. His mask hid most of his expression, but she could see it in his eyes. With a half relieved, half annoyed sigh, she straightened up and sheathed the vibroblade she'd palmed from her sleeve.

"You little- Don't go sneaking up on people like that. I thought Shmi taught you better manners."

Her impish friend raised a skeptical eyebrow and had the audacity to look affronted. "Sneaking? I was sitting in the middle of the room with the lights on. It's not my fault you were too tired to pay attention."

She glared at him, which only made him laugh. Secretly, she was relieved to see him so mischievous. It was a sure sign he was, if not ok, then at least on the mend. Anything was better than his grim monotone from earlier.

"What are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be at the Temple? Asleep. Like I want to be right now."

He shrugged and stood up. "I'm a Senior Padawan now, so I don't have to stay at the Temple all the time. Besides, I wanted to talk to you."

"Mmhm." She wasn't quite ready to let go of him scaring her, even if it had been (mostly) her fault for getting lost in her own head. "How did you even get in here? The door was locked."

The snarky little shit actually had the audacity to snort. "If you can even call that a lock. It practically opened on its own."

She sighed dramatically, more for appearances than anything else. For all his virtues, Naruto sometimes viewed locked doors as amusing puzzles rather than strict barriers. That was when he even bothered with doors at all. Jiraiya had passed many things on to his godson, and a love of entering and exiting via windows was one of them. It wasn't Naruto's best quality, but he never pushed his luck too far and she'd learned to accept it.

"Anakin never should have taught you how to bypass modern locks," she muttered. "Your felonious methods of entry aside, what did you need?"

In the space between two heartbeats, his cheerful air diminished. The colors in the room seemed to subtly fade, and she'd have sworn a faint shadow passed over the lights. "I'm going to have to tell the whole Senate what happened on Rago, aren't I?"

She winced, but didn't do him the disservice of prevaricating. "Yes, probably. It's important to stick a real face on this story. The facts will only take us so far, but if we can engender sympathy for what you went through…"

"It'll help people accept the rest of the story," he finished with a sigh. "Do you think that'll work?"

She walked over and put an arm around him. He leaned into the half embrace, though he didn't hug her back. "I think you're underestimating how much your reputation has grown in the last few years. Senator Mothma and I won't be the only ones in that chamber whose planets you've saved. Besides, you're hard to ignore."

He laughed at that, just a little, and she squeezed him a little tighter.

"Talking about what happened, it's hard, you know. I feel…" His voice trailed off, and he looked down. She put her hands on his shoulders and turned him to face her.

"Naruto, you know this wasn't your fault, right? Nothing that happened there, or later, is on you."

"I know that," he said. "Really. I blamed myself at first, but Master Windu and Jiraiya-sensei and Ahsoka put my head back on straight. It's just…"

Again he trailed off into silence, but she was a patient woman. She waited for him to find the words to express whatever was weighing on him.

"I don't want Viir's legacy to just be her death," he said eventually. "She was… brilliant, and she deserves to be remembered for more than just being murdered on some backwater. If I tell the Senate what happened, I'll be ensuring that's all anyone ever remembers about my little sister."

'Oh, Naruto,' she thought. Her heart broke to hear so much pain and confusion in his voice. She placed a hand on his cheek and tilted his head so she could look him in the eyes.

"It won't change how you remember her. It won't change her legacy for anyone who really knew and cared for her. What she meant to you, who she was; nothing can take that away."

He closed his eyes and his forehead crinkled as he grimaced beneath his mask. "I know that. It still hurts to talk about, though."

"You don't have to do this, you know," she said. "No one will make you talk about this if you don't want to. We can find another way."

He scoffed and turned away to look out the window. For a moment she was tempted to follow him, to keep reassuring him, but she thought better of it. Instead, she stared out the window with him and let him think. The glittering sprawl of the megacity sparkled against the night sky as speeders of all shapes and sizes zipped through the air. It was beautiful, and for a few seconds, Padmé just let herself appreciate the view.

When Naruto finally spoke, his voice was barely a whisper. "I don't want to fight in another war. I don't want my friends to experience that. It's hard for me to see the future, but so many paths lead that way." He turned and looked at her again. "Will this really help prevent that?"

She nodded. "For now, at least, yes. I think it will."

His mask twitched a little, and she thought he might have smiled beneath it, but his eyes stayed as serious as she'd ever seen them. The part of her that saw him as a dear friend, even family, hated her for what she was asking him to do. What sort of decent person asked their friend to relive the death of their little sister in front of thousands of uncaring strangers? Cold anger burned in her gut, against the monsters who'd murdered a child and traumatized her friend, and against herself for leveraging that trauma for political gain.

"Okay then." His voice was still low, but steady. "I'll do it. And don't go feeling guilty, got it? You're not the only one who has a duty to the Republic. Besides, Anakin gets all mopey when you're sad, and then he's a pain in the ass."

The joke was far from his best. It wasn't even especially funny. However, it was so unexpected, so startlingly dissonant with the tone of their conversation, she couldn't help but giggle. He laughed along with her, and just like that, if only for a moment, his usual good humor reappeared. The room brightened, the air cleared, and a subtle weight lifted from her mind. "Come on," she said, putting on the imperious tones she'd used as Queen. "You may have all sorts of secret Jedi techniques to keep you awake, but us mere mortals need sleep. Since you're the reason I'm still here, you can escort me out of the building."

"As you wish, your Senatorship," he replied in the same exaggeratedly ostentatious manner. She took his arm and let him guide her out of her office and down the hall. "You know, I could shunshin us out of the building. It would only take a few seconds."

"Try it and I'll puke all over you," she said primly. It was no idle threat, either. He only laughed, though, and she secretly smiled to herself. His good cheer may have been fragile, but it wasn't forced. He would be alright, she thought. Not overnight, maybe not even soon, but he would heal. If only she could be so certain about the Republic.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

As Naruto was sneaking through the Temple maintenance shafts and service hallways to get back to his quarters, he felt a light but familiar brush against his mental shields. Before he could even begin to lower them, Master Fay's voice sounded in his mind.

'Come out of that air duct, Padawan. I would speak with you.'

Putting aside the question of how she'd bypassed his shields so easily (it was Master Fay, after all), he popped open the next vent and dropped silently to the ground below. Right in front of him, serene as ever, stood the elfin Master. There was an amused smirk on her face, and a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she watched him. He straightened up and bowed his head respectfully.

"I see you've taken the art of sneaking about the Temple to entirely new heights,' she said. "In my day we simply darted from pillar to pillar and hoped no one spotted us. It's encouraging to see such ingenuity in the young, even if it is being put to nefarious use."

Naruto couldn't help but laugh at her teasing. For all her legendary reputation and well-earned status, Fay retained an impish sense of humor. During breaks in their training on the way back from Lothal, the two of them had amused themselves by playfully needling both each other and Mace. It had been a welcome and much needed respite from the overwhelming seriousness of everything around him.

"I prefer to think of it as being creative in how I interpret the rules," he shot back. That earned him a small chuckle from her, before her face grew serious. He couldn't read her emotions through the Force, but he could guess what she was about to say anyway. "You're leaving, aren't you?'

She nodded, a little sadly, he thought. "I'm afraid so. The Force is calling me to move on. I have a role to play in the events to come, but it is not here." With a wave of her arm, she gestured him forward. "Walk with me. We look needlessly dramatic just standing here in the dark."

He followed and they walked side by side through the Temple hallway for several minutes before he finally broke the comfortable silence. "I don't understand why you have to go. Couldn't you do the most good here, with the Senate? You could talk them down, get them to listen to each other, stuff like that. Why leave?"

She eyed him knowingly. "Come now, Naruto, be honest with yourself, at least. Ask the real question."

He grimaced under his mask. How was she always so perceptive? Still, there was no point trying to evade. Fay had a way of getting the truth out of people without them ever quite realizing it was happening. "Fine," he sighed. "I don't want you to go. You've helped me so much. You've taught me so much. If it wasn't for you… I don't know if I could have made it through Viir's death. I was hoping you'd stay at the Temple, at least for a little while."

Fay stopped dead in her tracks so suddenly he took a few more paces before he noticed. When he turned around, he saw she was giving him a look he couldn't identify. It was almost like… gratitude? But that couldn't be right, could it?

Apparently it was, because she actually bowed her head to him. "That is… very kind of you to say. I think you would have persevered eve without me there, but I am happier than you can imagine that I was able to help you. However, it doesn't change my duty to the Force."

"But what about what I said earlier," he asked. "You really could do a lot of good with the Senate."

Before he'd even finished talking, she was shaking her head. "Not as much as you think, I'm afraid. I've been too long away from Coruscant to simply plunge back into Senate politics so quickly. My reputation would mean little next to the entrenched interests and cultivated relationships that define Senate machinations. Besides, you place too much importance on the Senate. It is significant, but it has grown too distant and aloof from the people it was made to serve. No, I believe it is amongst those people I can do the most good. That is where the Force is calling me, and it has never steered me wrong before."

Reaching out one hand, she cupped his cheek and pulled him down to her level. Standing on her tiptoes, she pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head.

"I've enjoyed teaching you, Naruto, so let this be one final lesson before I go. Remember, as Jedi, our first and only true duty is to what is right. Never let anyone convince you otherwise." She let him go and took a step back. "Goodbye, Naruto. And don't look so glum. We'll see each other again in time. I promise."

"Goodbye, Master," he said, bowing again. By the time he straightened, she was already gone.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

The next morning

"I now call this Senate session to order." With an electronically amplified crack, Mas Amedda slammed his staff down once, twice, three times. Normally he would only do so once, if at all, but of late the Senate was so full of muttered conversations, shouted insults, and jeering mockery he'd resorted more and more to the sharp noise cutting through the chatter. The Senate hall was truly massive, and designed to cut down on ambient noise, but when several thousand beings were all clamoring to speak over each other, there was only so much clever acoustics could do. Still, Bail was heartened to see, as the ringing echo of the final strike faded into silence, the assembled delegates quiet down and adopt at least a semblance of order.

'I wonder how long it will last after they hear what we have to say,' he thought wryly. 'I'd probably need a droid to measure a length of time that small.'

He kept such uncharitable thoughts off his face, though. The moment Mas officially opened the floor for business, he moved his Senate pod into the middle of the assembly. At least half a dozen other Senators did the same, but he'd been prepared for something like this. Before they could start squabbling over who got to speak first, he turned on his address system and cut them off.

"Fellow Senators, I apologize for my abruptness, but I believe you all will wish to hear what I have to say. Senators Mothma, Amidala, and myself have new information to share which sheds light on the events of Nar Shaddaa." That certainly got their attention. Without protest, all the other pods drifted back into their places along the wall.

"The Chair recognizes the honorable Senator from Alderaan," Mas said, and gestured for him to proceed. He took a deep breath and mentally braced himself for the plunge. That had been the first hurdle. Now came the difficult part.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Three hours later

Naruto sat in the Jedi Order's Senate pod, half-listening to the ongoing chaos of the Senate. He'd tried to pay attention, but after one hour of back and forth shouting became two, his focus had drifted. There was enough noise to keep him from checking out completely, but he only kept an ear out for any major developments. Other than that, he sank into a light meditation and tried to clear his mind.

Testifying about what had happened on Rago hadn't been as difficult as he'd feared. With his master's encouragement, he'd spent most of the night meditating on Padmé's words. It still felt like pouring acid in a fresh wound to tell the story again, but at least he no longer felt as if he were dishonoring Viir's memory. Just as she'd predicted, his words had done a lot to calm the various factions and engendered enough sympathy for Jiraiya to give his report without interruption. Then some Senator he didn't know had asked about the Sith assassin, or "Dark Jedi" as they tried to label her. Yoda had fielded the question himself, but even his reputation wasn't enough to keep all hell from breaking loose.

"Lies! Count Dooku is a great…"

"I always knew you Separatists were crazy, but following…"

"…nothing but a transparent attempt to discredit…"

And so on and so forth. Eventually, Naruto couldn't even pretend to meditate any longer, and sent a silent question to his master. Trying to talk over the racket would be impossible, but as a Jedi, he could cheat.

'Why doesn't Chancellor Palpatine intervene? Couldn't he stop all this?'

Mace didn't take his eyes off the "debate", but he acknowledged the question with a nod. 'Be patient. I believe I see Bail and the others' plan. Trust that they know what they're doing, and listen carefully. Your grasp of politics is still unsatisfactory. This is an important learning opportunity for you.'

Before he could defend his political knowledge, which was just fine in his opinion, Bail Organa's powerful voice rang out over the din. The Vice Chair must have granted him an override of the pod speakers. In an instant, his even baritone replaced the chaotic shouting.

"Senators, please. This is a place of reasoned discourse, not a Pyke gladiator pit. Let us all take a breath and calm down."

More than a few delegates shouted their disagreement (quite colorfully in some cases), but without their speakers, their voices were barely audible in the vast rotunda. Bail ignored them completely and yielded the floor to Padmé.

"Thank you, Senator Organna. Members of the Senate, please recall that no one has leveled accusations of any kind. Master Yoda and the Jedi have merely presented us with information. Yes, the leader of the ambush on Nar Shaddaa seems to have been a Sith assassin, and yes, there may be evidence of a link between her, Count Dooku, and the Separatists, but it is far from conclusive. We must be sure of all the facts before we take any rash action. We must investigate this potential Sith resurgence."

Cries of anger and shouts of approval from both sides competed with one another for air, but one Senator took a more measured approach. A pod floated down from the upper wall and into the space near the Chancellor's podium. It took a few seconds, but Naruto recognized the Senator. It was Mina Bonteri, a Separatist, but also an old friend and mentor to Padmé. He couldn't see what she was doing, but she must have gained permission to speak, because hers was the next voice to echo through the hall.

"I agree with Senator Amidala." That actually managed what even the combined efforts of Bail, Padmé, and Mas Amedda hadn't. It silenced the rotunda. Even the most strident firebrands of each faction paused, gaping as a prominent Separatist Senator agreed with a Loyalist.

Before the shouting could resume, Bonteri kept on talking. "If the Sith have truly returned, we must separate fact from fiction with all haste. I have no doubt a thorough, impartial investigation will clear Count Dooku of any allegations of wrongdoing. I'm sure I speak for everyone in this chamber when I say we have a duty to find a peaceful, democratic solution to the present crisis."

Mas Amedda took the opportunity to address the whole Senate while it was still quiet. "We will now open the floor for debate on this topic, and only this topic. Remain civil and follow the rules of procedure, or I will be forced to override the audio system once again."

Naruto rolled his eyes a little at the man's pompous attitude, but the sentiment was at least well founded. When the individual pod speakers reactivated, far from the former chaotic din, there were several polite(ish) requests to speak.

The debate may have been civil compared to the earlier vitriolic shouting, but that hardly made it interesting or productive. As far as he could tell, the Senate had replaced its favored partisan bickering with its second favorite activity; bureaucratic bickering. Each side has different ideas about who would investigate what and how, with the minutiae of the debate growing ever more obscure. He glanced over at Mace, but all he got was a minute shake of the head and a single word over their bond. A word he'd been hearing multiple times a day since coming to the Temple, and one he doubted he'd stop hearing any time soon.

'Patience.'

Patience wasn't his strongest quality (or even in the top ten), but in this case, he didn't have to wait very long. Not even ten minutes later, Chancellor Palpatine spoke up for the first time so far. It was a mark of the respect the man still commanded from both sides that he didn't even need to shut down the pod speakers. Within moments of him standing up, a hush fell over the assembly.

"Before I begin, first I offer my gratitude to those Senators who brought us this new information, as well as the Jedi who risked their lives to convey it back to us so quickly." He paused and nodded graciously to the Jedi pod. "In light of these new findings, and the delicacy of the situation, I must agree with Senators Amidala and Bonteri. We must investigate further. I will not allow fear and paranoia to divide us any further."

A few low murmurs disturbed the air, and more than one Senator protested, but Palpatine continued as if he were speaking to a captive audience. Considering the importance of what was happening, it wasn't far from the truth.

"While I respect the sincere passions of those on both sides of our current political divide, it has become clear to me that matters such as this require a more unified vision. Therefore, in order to ensure a rapid and impartial investigation, my office shall coordinate and direct both the Jedi and this august body in searching for the truth of this matter."

What had once been subdued murmurs turned, once again, into an outraged roar. Some were shouting about executive overreach. Others, mostly the Separatist-leaning, howled about Jedi conspiracy and partisan collusion. Naruto even heard a few voices demand the arrest of all involved, Jedi or not. He shook his head at such pointless arguing, but Palpatine didn't appear bothered by the controversy his declaration had stirred up. Instead, he whispered something to Mas Amedda, and the Chagrian once again slammed his staff down and called for order. The moment it was quiet enough to speak, he continued.

"I understand this is an unusual step, but these are unusual times. Do not mistake me, though. While the Jedi Order will be involved in this investigation, they will report to this office. It is no secret that I am and have always been a friend to the Order, and their advice and wisdom have proven invaluable in the past. However, recent events give me pause." Now, though he continued to address the entire Senate, no one missed that his words were directed specifically at the Order. "Withholding their suspicions that the Sith had returned for almost a decade, and now violating Hutt space without consulting the Senate, regardless of their intentions, is a matter of grave concern. In such chaotic times as these, the Republic can ill afford such miscommunication. We must move forward with unity and purpose. The Jedi have always served the Republic and the Senate with distinction. I intend to strengthen that bond, which has been a pillar of our civilization for millennia. We will work together, closer than ever before, to ensure a peaceful resolution to this present crisis."

Naruto sensed his master's disquiet at the Chancellor's words; a disquiet he shared. It sounded as if Palpatine was subtly condemning Jiraiya's actions on Nar Shaddaa. Still, he restrained his instinct to leap to his godfather's defense. While he didn't agree with the idea Jiriaya and Luminara had done anything wrong, he could sense the overwhelming tension in the room start to ease. As, no doubt, Padmé, Bail, and Mon Mothma had planned, Chancellor Palpatine's skill for saying exactly the right thing at exactly the right time was defusing the time bomb of war that had been ticking the last few days. If the price of that was the Order taking a public rebuke, then so be it.

There was no applause at the end of the Chancellor's speech, but neither was there any shouting. Instead, he sensed the telltale signs of a compromise; everyone was unhappy. As Palpatine opened the floor once again to debate, the Senate began the long, tedious process hammering out the details of the Chancellor's plan. Naruto looked over at Mace.

"So… that's it? Crisis averted?"

Mace sighed and shook his head. "Not averted. Merely postponed. I doubt anything is truly resolved, but between the efforts of Senator Organa's faction and the Chancellor's speech, we have managed to avoid the worst outcome. They have given us time to find a peaceful solution."

"You still don't look very happy," Naruto pointed out. Mace never looked happy, but he'd learned to spot the subtle signs of unease in his master over the years. "Was it something the Chancellor said?"

Mace's eyes narrowed a hair as he looked over at the central podium. "The last part of his speech concerned me. It helped allay any fears of the Jedi being impartial in the investigation, but the Senate may use it as an excuse to exercise greater authority over the Order in the future." He paused for a moment and shook his head. "It is not something you should concern yourself with. Come, we should get back to the Temple. You have a great deal of training ahead of you, Padawan."

Naruto stood up so fast he almost left the ground. It took all of his hard learned discipline not to cheer out loud. "Finally. Anything's better than listening to a Senate session."

Mace raised one eyebrow, and the shadow of a smile ghosted across his face. "I would not be so sure of that if I were you."

Naruto felt his stomach drop into his boots. He looked back at the Senate pod as they walked out and had a strong suspicion he'd be yearning for it before long. "Dank farrick."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Jiraiya sighed and popped his neck as he walked up the door to Luminara's quarters. It had been a long, draining day. As the head of the Order, Yoda had spent the entire day in meetings with the Supreme Chancellor and various Senators, and as Yoda's Padawan, he'd had the dubious honor of shadowing him the whole time. Fortunately, while politicians tried his patience like few things could, they were also predictably unwilling to forgo meals. As afternoon had faded into evening, the various delegates and dignitaries had made their excuses and retired for the day. One silent plea for mercy to his master later, and he'd been allowed to follow them. When he'd returned to his quarters, he'd found, to his pleasant surprise, a message from Luminara. Specifically, an invitation.

She must have sensed his approach, because before he could reach for the comm panel to let her know he was there, the door slid open. She stood in the open doorway, still in the same robes she'd worn to the Senate. As always, when he saw her, the burdens of the day felt that little bit lighter, as her mere presence acted as a balm to his spirit. She smiled softly when she saw him and stepped aside in silent invitation.

"It is good to see you. I wasn't sure when you would get back." As she followed him inside, he noticed her few belongings were mostly packed away, probably in preparation for getting new quarters along with her new Padawan.

"Where's Barriss?" He asked.

"The Healers want her to stay in the infirmary for a little longer," she replied. "It should only be for a few more days; just until her physical therapy is over."

"Mmm." He could sense she had something she wanted to say, and he did as well, but he couldn't figure out how to put it. For a few seconds, they just stood in awkward silence, until he caved and went first. "Not that I'm not glad to see you, but why the invitation?"

She hesitated before answering, and he spotted something unusual on her face; uncertainty. It was subtle, like most of her expressions, but he could see it as clear as Umbaran glass. "I- back on Nar Shaddaa, before we left, we were… in the middle of something. Something we both decided should wait until we were clear-headed." His eyes widened as he realized what she was referring to, and he smiled at the remembered sensations of her lips on his. "I would very much like to pick up where we left off."

For all that she clearly wasn't sure how to talk about this sort of thing, she certainly had no qualms about stating what she wanted. His smile turned into a full on grin. "So, you invited me into your quarters just to kiss me?"

Rather than answer verbally, she took two steps forward, put a hand on the back of his head to pull him down to her level, and kissed him with a passion few would believe she possessed. In such a circumstance, there was only one sensible course of action. He kissed her back, pouring as much of his love for her into it as he could. For ten blissful seconds they stayed like that, before she pulled back as suddenly as she'd stepped in. Her lips were slightly swollen, and a hint of darker green dusted her cheeks. Her breath was a tad quicker than normal, and her eyes a touch brighter. He couldn't help but think how beautiful it made her look.

"Hmmm," she hummed in satisfaction. "Not only to kiss you, of course. I'd also planned to share a meal with you, and have a conversation as well, but-" and she leaned in to kiss him again, this time just a feather-light brush of her lips against his "-yes. I intend to kiss you while we do those things. Now, come help me with dinner. I'm sure you're as hungry as I am."

He couldn't help but chuckle a bit as he followed her into the kitchen and started washing vegetables. This had to be the strangest way anyone had ever asked him on a date before, but he didn't care. Luminara was never going to be one for candlelight and fancy restaurants and all the other trappings of typical romance. No, this simple act of preparing a meal together, of being together, was far more precious to him than those things could ever have been. For all the issues he had with Jedi philosophy, there was great wisdom in their disdain for all things fancy, gaudy, and materialistic.

Despite their appetite, dinner took longer to prepare than it might have, though for extremely pleasant reasons. True to her word, Luminara took multiple opportunities to kiss him while they worked, and he her. They ranged from momentary pecks on the cheek to intense, minute long sessions that left them both breathless and flushed. If that meant dinner was a few minutes later than it could have been, he considered it time well wasted.

As they ate, they talked about everything from the various meetings he'd sat through that day to Luminara's plans for Barriss to the unfortunate fate Naruto had visited upon himself with his impatience and disdain for the Senate session.

"The last I saw of him, Master Windu had him dodging four remotes blindfolded, without a lightsaber, while quizzing him on galactic trade law in Huttese." Her carefully blank expression said more about her amusement than any amount of laughter could. "I believe Mace took his words as a personal challenge."

Jiraiya snorted and shook his head. "Knowing Naruto, he's probably still having a better time than if he were stuck listening to a Senate debate. That kid's just not built for staying still."

"Indeed not." She ate the last few bites of her meal and savored the rich flavors. "Speaking of the Senate, Chancellor Palpatine's closing remarks were… notable. They've caused no small level of consternation here at the Temple."

Jiraiya nodded, frowning as he recalled his own feelings on the matter. "Master Yoda certainly wasn't happy about it. The Chancellor assured him it was the only way to ensure both factions will work with the Order, and he's probably right, but it still makes me uncomfortable. The closer we are to the Senate, the less we'll be able to act as mediators."

"The Chancellor is a politician," she pointed out. "It's in his nature to seek power, and the exact relationship between the Jedi and the government has always been nebulous and subject to interpretation. But enough of such unhappy subjects. I have something more enjoyable in mind for the rest of our evening."

He raised a suggestive eyebrow. "Oh? More kissing. I could certainly get behind that."

"Close, but not quite." She stood up and smiled in a way that had him suddenly and acutely aware of how much he was attracted to her. "If you're amenable, I would like us to have sex."

He nearly swallowed his tongue.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Luminara watched with fond amusement as Jiraiya struggled to process her words. His mouth worked up and down silently while color slowly rose in his cheeks. If she were completely honest with herself, a big part of why she'd asked him as she had was to see his reaction, and it didn't disappoint.

"I mean, of course I'd love to, but are you sure?" He finally asked, his voice a bit hoarse. Normally, she didn't mind his chivalry, but in that instant, she could have strangled him. Their kiss back on Nar Shaddaa, immediately after they'd defeated Durge, had come as something of a revelation. At first, she'd dismissed the feelings it brought as byproducts of the soldier pill eroding her inhibitions and hyper-stimulating her brain, and at the time it may have been true. However, now, days after the pill had left her system, she still felt the same way. She wanted him. Badly. With two quick strides, she closed the distance between them and kissed him with every ounce of passion she could muster.

"Does that answer your question?" She asked, before capturing his lips once more.

Jiraiya inhaled in surprise, but didn't hesitate to return and deepen the kiss. The dishes forgotten, they backed into the bedroom, never breaking contact. His hands traced the contours of her back and pulled her against his firm body. Even through their robes she could feel the heat of him, and hear his strong heartbeat.

-M rated scene-

She sank straight into desire like a millstone into a pond, with barely enough time to throw up some hasty mental shielding around them, so they didn't project what they were about to do to the whole Temple. It had been a long time since she had last been with anyone; closer to two decades than one, in fact, and she was surprised by how quickly the heat burst into an inferno within her. Jedi weren't required to be celibate, but most, including her, only rarely took lovers. The risk of emotional attachment was too high, or so she used to think. Now, the idea of growing even closer to Jiraiya, of deepening their bond, filled her with nothing but excitement and longing.

"Clothes," she gasped between kisses, but he was already ahead of her. Even as she spoke, he shucked his robe and tunic, leaving his muscular torso exposed for her pleasure. She took a moment to appreciate his physique and the long hours of work it testified to. He was hardly alone amongst the Jedi for being in shape, but that didn't make his powerful muscles any less pleasing to look at. Her own robes joined his moments later, until she wore only her trousers, bra, and headdress. She noted with a swell of satisfaction the appreciation on his face as he took her in. Her looks were not typically of any concern to her, beyond how they reflected her physical health and projected an air of professionalism, but seeing the naked lust in his eyes as he looked at her body felt… good. She cared about him, and he desired her, and that lit a fire in her blood she hadn't expected.

Slowly, she took off her headdress and then the scarf underneath it. For the first time, Jiraiya got to see her hair. He exhaled slowly and reached out to caress her short, black locks. The look of awe on his face told her he understood exactly what she had just done. Amongst Mirialans, uncovering one's hair in the presence of another was a profoundly intimate gesture. Not even with her previous lovers had she ever bared her head like this. With him, though, there wasn't even a question. She trusted him with her life and her heart. Her hair was easy after that.

"You're beautiful," he said as he peppered featherlight kisses along her jaw.

She smirked. "Flatterer. I'm not even half naked ye- oh!" Her words dissolved into a breathless gasp as he found a sensitive spot just under her ear.

"You were saying something?" She didn't need to see his face to picture the oh-so-smug grin that no doubt adorned it.

"Is there- mmh, no situation safe from your attempts at humor?" As banter went, it was far from her best, but most of her attention was on the wonderful feelings of his hands at work.

"Oh, I don't know," he said. "I'm taking this very seriously."

She tried to muster a response, but then one of his hands slipped lower, and her brain melted a little. Everything else in the world save him faded into the background. She lost herself in the passion of the moment, and as they made love on her bed, the whole universe seemed to orbit around them. They bonded on more than just the physical plane. The Force wrapped around them, and their minds became as entangled as their bodies. His love for her was so beautiful she almost wept.

-M rated scene end-

For a pleasant handful of minutes after they finsihed, they laid next to each other in silence. She enjoyed the cool air on her flushed skin, balanced by the solid warmth of Jiraiya next to her. She draped an arm over his broad chest, just to reassure herself that yes, he really was there. What they'd just shared hadn't been some dream. As the haze of sex gave way to a feeling of bone-deep contentment, Luminara's thoughts turned introspective.

She knew that Jiraiya loved her. She'd known for a while, actually, though she hadn't known what she wanted to do about it until Nar Shaddaa. However, when she'd sensed the depths of him through the Force just now, when their shared passion laid bare his feelings for her, she'd realized something. It felt clichéd to say it now, of all times, but that didn't make it any less true.

"Jiraiya?"

"Mmm?" He grunted sleepily.

"… I love you."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

"… I love you."

If Hanzo had returned from the grave to challenge him to a game of strip shogi right at that moment, Jiraiya wouldn't have noticed. The drowsy fog that had settled on him vanished in favor of sharp, almost painful clarity. A thousand responses flew through his mind, from asking if she was sure, to cheering like a child on Life Day, but in the end he chose silence. Luminara was one of the most self-possessed people he'd ever met. She knew her own mind, and he wouldn't insult her by suggesting otherwise. Besides, he could hear more words yet unspoken following her sudden admission. So he rolled over to face her and waited for her to finish gathering her thoughts.

"I think I've loved you for a while now. I just didn't know how to name what I was feeling."

He nodded. "But now you do?" He wasn't wholly surprised at her words. She'd mentioned before that she didn't always understand her emotions, even now that she allowed herself to feel them.

"Mmhm." She nodded. "I… felt what you feel for me. When we were having sex. I sensed it through the Force, and it- it helped clarify what I feel. What I've been feeling. I love you."

He smiled and kissed her gently. "I love you, too."

She kissed him back for a moment before she pulled back and sat up. "I'm going to go clean up."

She stood up and walked towards the fresher. He noted with a bit of primitive, masculine satisfaction that her legs were more than a little wobbly. He also noted, with even more satisfaction, that she hadn't bothered covering herself. Not that she had anything to be ashamed of.

'Kami, I am a lucky man,' he thought as he took in her gorgeous body from the back. 'I've had the privilege of loving two rare beauties, and one of them even loves me back.'

Tsunade had possessed a figure that could drive men to madness, but, in his opinion, Luminara had a beauty all her own, one that equaled or eclipsed any woman he'd seen. Much like her, it was quiet and restrained, until it caught you off guard and left you dumbstruck. It wasn't as if she lacked curves, either. No, her body was perfect because it was hers, and she'd deigned to share it with him.

Perhaps some people would have said they were moving too fast. After all, they'd only just agreed to make their partnership a romance a week before. However, that wasn't the way he saw it. True, they hadn't been dating these last few years, but that didn't mean they didn't know each other. To him, this didn't feel so much like a new relationship as much as the deepening of an old one.

As if the universe were determined to grant him at least one perfect night in his life, she paused in the entrance to the fresher and turned back to look at him. The look in her eyes, accompanied by a tiny smirk, made his breath catch. When she spoke, her voice hit him in the libido like a lead pipe. "Of course, you're welcome to join me. I'm not the only one who needs cleaning."

If Jiraiya had ever moved faster outside of Sage Mode, it wasn't by much. She'd already mentioned what would happen next time, and he had no intention of disappointing.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

As the glittering orb of Serreno coalesced into view, Ventress had to fight down her rising fear. Punishment was inevitable. Deserved, even. She'd failed to follow one of her Master's orders. Only the unqualified success of the rest of the mission stood between her and a painful death. That, and what she suspected was a precious piece of knowledge in the form of the strange marking on Aurra Sing's neck. Nevertheless, she was about to suffer. Showing fear would only make things worse. Unimaginably worse. Old scars, old lessons, twinged in painful reminder.

Sure enough, no sooner had she landed and ordered a medical droid for Sing, with strict instructions to keep her sedated and secured until further notice, than her master summoned her with a sharp tug on their Force bond. To her surprise, it didn't hurt yet, at least, not more than usual. With gritted teeth, she summoned her anger and followed the call. There was nothing she could do to save herself the coming agonies, but she would be damned before she faced them with anything but a defiant snarl. Other weaklings whimpered at the mere thought of pain, as if they understood what pain was. Dooku had taught her better. He'd made her strong.

That determination carried her straight to his office and through the doors. It quailed when she saw the man himself, though. He stood in front of his desk, apparently at ease. Only a blind fool could have missed the ocean of carefully restrained power dancing just beneath his skin, however. Power currently poised to strike. She was staring down the barrel of a turbolaser, and it was charging up.

"Tell me, Asajj," he said before she could even bow, "what were my instructions for your mission?"

She swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry. "To retrieve Aurra Sing from the Jedi. To be seen while doing so. And not- Aaaarrrh!"

There was no warning, no surge of power. She hadn't even seen him move. One moment she was on her feet answering his question, the next she was writhing on the floor in agony as Dooku sent a blast of Force Lightning through her body, quick and vicious as a striking snake. Her muscles spasmed, her nerves howled, and her previous injuries, still far from healed, lit up with waves of fresh suffering. White-blue sparks burned spidery lines into her vision, and she distantly registered the faint, familiar smell of her own flesh burning. Then, quick as it had come, it was over.

"Stand," he commanded, still in the same calm, unruffled voice as before. She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the new and interesting ways her body ached. "Tell me, what did you do on this mission?"

"I ambushed the Jedi. I retrieved Sing- Gyaaaaggh!"

Once again, she collapsed beneath the sudden assault. This one was stronger, strong enough to have her joints creak as her muscles tried to bend them in the wrong direction. Blood joined the spittle flying from her mouth as something in her throat tore. Her heart skipped a beat, and then another as it struggled under the electrical assault. For a moment, she thought Dooku would truly kill her, but no. Just as she felt her consciousness falter, the onslaught of lightning ceased. Instantly, her body went slack, and she lay gasping in a puddle of her own sweat, spit, and vomit.

"Stand," he said again. She had to use the Dark side just to make it to her feet, but she managed it. Staying down wasn't an option. That would only get her killed, and she would not die here. Not like this. She was Sith, and she would face her pain as such.

"Tell me what you did on this mission." His voice was still calm, but there was an edge to it now, buried but still audible. Her last answer had angered him, beyond even the events of the mission.

"I failed you, Master. I- Aaaaiieeee!"

And so it went, over and over again, until she lost all sense of time and place. He would ask, she would answer, and then there was pain.

"How did you fail me?"

Pain.

"How else?"

Pain!

"What were my orders?"

Pain!

"What did you do?"

PAIN!

Finally, finally, he stopped. She was barely even aware of anything beyond the fire that danced across every square millimeter of her battered form. Nevertheless, she forced her mind and body to function, waiting for the next question. She'd lost the ability to stand a while ago, but she refused to give in. However, rather than another round of questions, he merely sneered at her.

"I have no use for a disobedient apprentice, nor an assassin who loses her weapons. Your instructions were simple; the task well within your abilities. Now, the Jedi have seen your sword style. They have your blades. You have given them the means to discover my identity. You are a disgrace."

"Master, please…" she choked out, and hated herself for doing it. It was too much, though. Too much for her to care about her pride. Dooku's sneer grew, if anything, colder at her pleading.

"What have I told you before? I am not your master. I am your torturer, Ventress. You will make every effort to appease me. So appease me. Tell me why I should allow you to live?" Each word landed like a stone on a frozen lake, cold, dangerous, and devastating. There was no doubt in her mind, hazy with pain though it was, that Dooku would kill her if she couldn't satisfy him. With one more pained gasp, she played her best and only card.

"I found… something, master," she rasped. "On Sing. She said… Jiraiya… cut her off from the Force. There… was… a mark… on her neck. Symbols, but… in the Force. It felt… like Jiraiya."

For a long moment, Dooku said nothing. He merely stared at her, his yellow eyes burning right to the core of her being. His face gave nothing away, and she waited in silence for judgment. Either her discovery would earn her a reprieve, or else she was currently enjoying her last few moments of life. Whatever her master's decision, she was determined to meet it head on.

After nearly a minute of silence, she got her answer. The icy shadow of Dooku's wrath, which had been steadily building as he tortured her, slipped back into shadow. The fire in his eyes faded, and a cool satisfaction took its place. Best of all, waves of blessed, numbing relief washed over her from their Force bond. She moaned as the pain faded into the background, and the sudden lack of agony nearly made her pass out right there on the floor.

"Well done, my apprentice," Dooku said, and his voice held just a hint of warmth and approval; a far cry from its earlier cruel disinterest. He picked her up, heedless of the filth covering her form, and set off toward the medical bay. "That is valuable information, and you did well to spot it. I am proud of you, Asajj."

She tried to mumble an acknowledgement, but her mouth wasn't listening to her brain. She settled for a hoarse grunt and finally let herself relax a little. She wasn't dead. Her master was pleased with her. The pain had stopped. That was all that mattered.

Ventress faded in and out of consciousness several times during the short trip to the infirmary. Her mind drifted, seemingly trying to free itself from its much abused physical anchor. Her master's voice dragged her back to the present, though.

"Rest and heal, my apprentice," he said as he laid into a bacta tank. "You have been through much. Let this trial temper you. Let it strengthen your resolve and fuel your power. To a Sith, everything; every person, every object, every experience, and every memory, is a path to power. Remember this."

With those last words, he placed a breathing mask over her face, closed the tank, and activated the control panel. Cool, sweet-smelling bacta rushed in, submerging her in seconds. Instantly, she felt the miracle substance go to work, repairing her injuries both inside and out. A second later, she smelled something on the air her respirator was providing. Her thoughts, already hazy from pain and exhaustion, instantly slowed. Fog filled her mind, and she felt as if she were slowly falling backwards, deeper and deeper, with no end in sight.

'A sedative,' some tiny part of her brain that was still functioning thought, but even that quickly dissolved into the fuzzy numbness that filled her head. She couldn't have fought its effects even if she'd wanted to, and she didn't even try. A few seconds later, the world smeared into a distant blur, and then even that faded into darkness.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Dooku watched as Asajj swiftly fell unconscious. Between the natural soothing effects of bacta immersion, the sedative he'd had the droids administer through her respirator, and her own exhaustion, it had taken less than a minute for sleep to claim her. Once he was certain she was fully under, he allowed the genial mask to fall from his face, revealing a cold sneer.

'Truly, she is pathetically easy to manipulate sometimes,' he thought as he gazed at his assassin. 'A bit of pain, then some meaningless praise, and she'll wake up more loyal to me than ever.'

He would, of course, take advantage of her sedation to make further… adjustments to his tool, but sometimes he wondered why he bothered. Even before the discreet modifications he'd made to her mind, all at his master's insistence, she had been fanatically loyal to him. Now, though, that loyalty had grown to a near religious devotion. Her desire for acceptance and community, born from the various traumas of her childhood, was now an insatiable craving for his approval and validation. What had once been a contempt for the Jedi, he had turned into a rage so potent it approached psychosis. At his master's command, he'd crafted Ventress into a creature of exquisite fury and hatred. She would never truly be a Sith, of course, for all the platitudes he fed her. She lacked the ambition, the subtlety, and above all, the control that Sidious had taught him were the markings of a true Sith. The fact she was content in service to another, namely himself, was ample proof of that. Nevertheless, her recent failure notwithstanding, she made for a highly useful instrument of his will, particularly now the Separatist coalition he was forming had grown large enough to require constant oversight.

In truth, her mistakes were not as severe as he'd made them out to be. The Jedi might deduce his true allegiance now, but that was hardly of grave consequence. They'd have found out soon enough, anyway. This way, however, they would be stuck floundering with assumptions and speculation. No doubt the Council would waste time on moralizing and debate rather than take any sort of decisive action. Their blind devotion to justice would be the noose he would hang them with. However, it was important to set certain expectations, particularly as it had been her first real mission of any consequence. She had allowed her emotions to cloud her judgment and had failed to avoid a direct confrontation. It had worked out this time, but he preferred to cut off any chance of her doing so again in the future, when the consequences might be more dire.

All that paled to insignificance in light of what she had told him about Aurra Sing and the mysterious mark on her neck. Sidious had been searching fiercely for more information on the strange abilities Jiraiya and the other boy possessed. Their 'chakra' was apparently a whole new way of accessing the Force, and he was determined to master it for himself. Dooku personally had his doubts about its potential, but the reports of the destruction this Naruto had wrought on Rago were compelling.

First, he went to the holding cell where the medical droids were treating Aurra Sing. The woman's injuries were severe, but not life threatening. She was stable, and most importantly, sedated. He had no interest in letting such an unpredictable asset as Sing have any clue as to his interests and goals. Dooku wasn't sure what Sidious wanted with the woman, but if it were up to him, he would never work with such volatile scum.

The moment he laid eyes on her, he could tell something was wrong. Aurra Sing had once been a promising, if impulsive, Jedi Padawan. He remembered her from the Temple, and from the story of what had happened to her. True, it had been almost fifty years since then, but he still remembered her strength in the Force. It had rivaled that of Ventress when he had met her. Now, he could scarcely sense her at all. Mynocks had a stronger connection to the Force than she did right now. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the medical droids and flipped her over so he could see the back of her neck. Sure enough, right where Ventress had told him to look, he saw the seal.

'Interesting,' he thought as he looked at the tiny cluster of symbols. 'It almost resembles some of the Sith alchemical sigils I've seen Sidious use. But it feels completely different in the Force. Like nothing I've ever felt before, in fact. So, this is what chakra feels like.' Though Sidious had shared what little he'd learned about the strange new, or perhaps old, way of using the Force, Dooku hadn't devoted much time to its study. Fracturing a millennia old galactic government and building a new one was time-consuming work, after all, and unlike Sidious, he did not have the advantage of a pre-existing bureaucracy to work with. He'd also never been one to learn much from lectures and texts, something which had apparently become a defining trait of his lineage at the Temple, if the reports he heard about Kenobi and the Skywalker boy were accurate. Now, though, with a concrete example in front of him to study, he was curious. He'd spent a decade or more pushing the Jedi to explore new avenues of the Force, and now here one was, ripe for study.

For the next hour, he carefully probed the strange mark with his senses. Sidious, he knew, would be furious if he ever found out he'd delayed even a second in reporting this, but what his master didn't know wouldn't hurt him. More importantly, if Sidious was determined to add chakra to his long list of powers and skills, Dooku wasn't about to just hand him the key. Not without learning what he could on his own first. No true Sith would ever give up such an advantage. He had no plans to supplant Sidious yet; the old schemer had positioned himself too well for that. No, he would play the part of Tyrannus, the loyal apprentice, for the moment. But not forever. He held no illusions about what sort of monster he'd allied himself with, nor did he intend to hand control of the galaxy over to the thing he called master. There would never be peace under the rule of one such as Sidious. Overthrowing the rotten corpse of the Republic was too large a task for him alone, but when it was done, Sidious would deeply regret giving him such power.

Frustratingly, the symbols held on to their secrets tightly. Dooku's long decades of experience with the Force were more of a hindrance than a help. Chakra may have been just one more aspect of the cosmic energy field, but it was one so alien to his experience that it defied most of his attempts to unravel it. He gleaned a few insights, though. The symbols weren't mere decoration or placeholders. Nor were they just nexus points of a more complicated weaving within the Force. Instead, they acted as something of a mix between a mathematical equation, a circuit board, and an amplifier. Each one added its own twist to the knot of chakra that locked down Aurra Sing's Force abilities and then projected that effect beyond the reach of their physical presence and across her whole being.

Eventually, though, he had to concede defeat. Any further probing on his part risked destabilizing the chakra construct, and that was a risk he couldn't take. Delaying his report to Sidious was one thing, but destroying such a valuable source of intelligence, and by accident too, would earn him death as surely as swallowing a live thermal detonator. He had learned all he could. Now it was time to inform his master.

It took longer than usual for Sidious to answer his transmission, but it made sense. After all the drama on Nar Shaddaa, Chancellor Palpatine was no doubt busier than ever. Dooku waited patiently, meditating on what he'd learned about the mark in Sing's neck, until the holocomn flickered into life, and his master's hooded figure appeared.

"You have something to report, Lord Tyrannus." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, my master. My assassin has returned from her mission with Aurra Sing."

A sneer crossed Sidious's face like an open wound. "Yes, I know. Her clumsiness could have cost us much. Fortunately, I was able to turn the situation to our advantage. As her master, I trust you have addressed her failure."

"I have." Dooku ignored the subtle threat that, as Ventress' teacher, he could be held responsible for her failings. "However, she recovered a valuable source of information. Evidently, Jiraiya placed some sort of chakra binding on Sing; a seal, cutting her off from the Force."

That definitely got a reaction from the Sith Master. Even through the hologram, Dooku could see the excitement on his face. "The seal is intact?"

"It is."

Sidious's lips twisted into a smile reminiscent of some ancient ocean predator, all cold hunger and deadly purpose. He leaned forward, and even from across the galaxy, Dooku had to fight not to take a step back. "Show me."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Where to even begin? First, this chapter marks the end of the pre-war era. Next chapter will start off the events culminating in the start of the Clone War. I plan to post a recap of what's happened so far at the start of chapter 42, so don't worry if you need reminding of what all's gone on in the story.

When it came to the Senate debate, my biggest challenge was keeping it from becoming boring. I'm not sure how well I managed it, but I hope I did okay. Political scheming and such plays a big role in this era of Star Wars, and for good reason. Darth Sidious is a politician before anything else. His favored weapons are words and laws and loopholes. Remember, this is a man who overthrew the Republic and the Jedi Order while only drawing his lightsaber three times, two of which were planned. To show his character accurately, I have to show the Senate.

I also wanted to give Padme more to do than she had in the movies. She's a badass character, but not in the same way as the Jedi or the clones will be. Her arena is the Senate, much like Sidious, and I think it's important to show the good sides of the Republic along with the bad. Otherwise, why would the Jedi be loyal to them?

Please leave a review if you have any criticisms or questions. Thank you.