Here's the fifth chapter! Thank you for all the reviews and comments. This story has crossed 100 follows, and I couldn't be happier. I'm so glad you're all enjoying this madness! Your support means the world to me.

Author's Note at the End:

Date: 7 December 2024

Chapter 5: Crisis or Opportunity

Obi-Wan Kenobi – Christophsis

"General Kenobi," the clone said with urgency. "We've just received a report. General Skywalker has taken his ship and left the post."

Obi-Wan froze mid-step. "What?" he said, turning sharply. His voice was calm, but his furrowed brow betrayed his frustration. "Where has he gone?"

"We believe he's headed to Tatooine, sir," the clone replied.

Obi-Wan's lips thinned. "Of course. Tatooine." He sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "Ah, my wayward, hardheaded Padawan, what have you done now?"

Aboard Command center

The news had come only an hour ago. Anakin, after a grueling battle to capture one of the sepratist leaders, had extracted critical information during interrogation. The prisoner had revealed that the Separatists were planning to make moves on Tatooine.

"They're sending forces to contact this so-called 'Fox Lord,'" the prisoner had sneered under Anakin's relentless questioning. "If he doesn't join the Separatists, they'll eliminate him and restore the Hutts' influence. It would definitely please them."

The mention of Tatooine, combined with this latest threat to its enigmatic new ruler and Anakin's lingering worries about his mother, had been enough to push him over the edge. Ignoring protocol, Anakin had commandeered his personal starfighter, a sleek Eta-2 Actis-class interceptor, and launched into hyperspace before anyone could stop him.

Now, Obi-Wan stood in the command center, his pacing interrupted by Cody stepping forward. hiss armor gleamed despite the dust clinging to every surface.

Obi-Wan let out a long sigh, his frustration mounting. "Cody," he called, turning to the clone commander standing nearby. "Any contacts with him?"

"Negative, sir," Cody replied, shaking his head. "He left in a hurry. No transmission since he took off."

Obi-Wan rubbed his hand through his hair, his mind racing. "What should I do with you, Anakin? You've always been impulsive, but this… this is a new level of recklessness." He shook his head and muttered.

He turned back to Cody. "We have a new batch of clones, don't we?"

"Yes, sir," Cody confirmed. "The 501st arrived a couple of days ago. Fresh recruits. Promising ones, too."

"Good, good." Obi-Wan paced again, his fingers stroking his beard as he considered his options. "Send them after Anakin. I want our best soldiers on this. Have Captain Gregor lead the mission."

Cody nodded, his expression firm. "And the mission parameters, sir?"

"The primary objective is to bring Anakin back," Obi-Wan said, his voice firm. "If they catch up to him before he reaches Tatooine, they are to detain him and return him to me. However…" Obi-Wan paused, a flicker of resignation crossing his face. "If he reaches Tatooine first, they are to make contact with him and assist in whatever madness he's planning."

"Yes, sir," Cody said, saluting smartly. He hesitated for a moment before adding, "Permission to speak freely, General?"

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Granted."

"With all due respect, sir, Commander Skywalker's got a… certain way of doing things. I wouldn't call it 'by the book.'" Cody's voice carried a hint of dry humor. "The boys will follow orders, but… they're used to him leading, not the other way around."

Obi-Wan allowed himself a small chuckle. "Yes, Cody, I'm well aware of Anakin's 'creative' approach to leadership. Captain Gregor is capable. He'll manage. And who knows? Perhaps this time, Anakin will surprise us by cooperating."

Cody gave a skeptical shrug. "I'll brief the 501st immediately, sir. They'll be ready to depart within the hour."

"Thank you, Commander," Obi-Wan said, dismissing him with a nod.

As the door hissed shut behind Cody, Obi-Wan moved to the large viewport overlooking Christophsis. The planet below shimmered with hues of green and blue, its crystalline towers catching the fading sunlight.

"What would I tell the Council about this, Anakin?" he murmured, his voice heavy with exasperation. "You leave me in such situations… always chasing after you, always cleaning up the mess."

But beneath the frustration, Obi-Wan felt the familiar pang of concern. Despite Anakin's defiance, he was still his Padawan. And Tatooine… Tatooine was no ordinary planet. And its recent changes had made his padawan more restless and tense. It was not only his home planet, but also a place filled with shadows and pain for him. Especially his mother. Obi-Wan could only hope that whatever Anakin found there would not lead him further down.

He clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. "Force help us," he said softly. "If Tatooine doesn't destroy him, his recklessness might."

Somewhere in space - Onboard His Starfighter

The soft hum of the engines filled the cockpit as the ship streaked through hyperspace. Anakin Skywalker sat rigid in the pilot's seat, his gloved hands gripping the controls, though there was no immediate need to. The endless swirl of light from hyperspace outside the viewport seemed to blur with his racing thoughts.

From behind him, a cheerful beep cut through his haze. Anakin glanced over his shoulder at the astromech droid nestled in its compartment. "Yeah, I know, R2," he muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. "It's reckless. Obi-Wan's going to have my head for this."

R2-D2 chirped again, a curious mix of beeps signaling his concern.

Anakin sighed, loosening his grip on the controls. "You wouldn't understand," he said, leaning back slightly. "Tatooine... it's not just some random planet to me. My mother's there. Or at least, I hope she is."

R2's beep was softer this time, almost empathetic. The little droid had been a gift from Padmé only a few weeks ago, and in that short time, Anakin had grown attached to its quirky loyalty. Now, it seemed R2 had become a companion he could confide in.

"This war, R2," Anakin continued, his tone softening as he stared at the swirling lights of hyperspace. "It's changing everything. The Council is so focused on the Separatists and their schemes, but they don't see what's happening on Tatooine. People are suffering there. And now the Separatists are targeting the Fox Lord, whatever kind of ruler he is. They think they can sway him or kill him and bring the Hutts back into power. I don't care about him but if separatist succeed there will only be trauma for people on the planet"

He clenched his jaw, anger simmering beneath his words. "And what's the Senate doing? Nothing. They're too busy arguing about trade routes and alliances. No one's going to protect Tatooine, no one's going to stop the Separatists. So, I have to do it myself."

R2 beeped questioningly, tilting its dome as if to ask how he planned to take on such a task alone.

"That's the thing, R2," Anakin admitted. "I'm not just going there for the Separatists or the Fox Lord." His voice grew quieter, almost a whisper. "I'm going there for my mother."

His heart tightened as he thought of her, Shmi Skywalker, the one person who had always been there for him. He had done everything the Jedi had asked of him since the day he left Tatooine, but the memory of leaving her behind haunted him.

"It was okay if I didn't know about the current situation," he said, bitterness creeping into his tone. "I told myself it was for the greater good. That I had to trust she'd be fine. But I can't anymore. Not with this chaos heading in her direction. I have to find her, R2. I have to take her away from that... that ruddy planet."

R2 let out a sympathetic whistle, almost as if offering encouragement.

"Thanks, buddy," Anakin said, managing a faint smile. "I'm not sure what I'll find when I get there, but I'll figure it out. I always do."

He leaned forward again, his gaze hardening. "First, I'll deal with the Separatists. If this Fox Lord is as strong as the rumors say, maybe he'll be an ally. And if he's not..." Anakin's voice trailed off, leaving the unspoken threat hanging in the air. "But whatever happens, once I've handled that, I'm getting my mother off Tatooine. No more leaving her to fend for herself."

He glanced at R2, his determination clear. "Obi-Wan's going to call this reckless, and maybe it is. But this is my choice. My responsibility."

The droid chirped a series of sounds that almost sounded like approval, and Anakin chuckled softly. "I'm glad you're on my side, R2. Let's just hope the hyperdrive holds out. I've got a lot to do when we get there."

Jabba's Palace, Tatooine

Naruto stood at the large viewport of his makeshift command room, arms crossed, staring at the horizon where the first streaks of Tatooine's twin suns were visible. The holographic display beside him hummed to life, projecting a detailed view of the Separatist envoy's fleet now hanging ominously in the planet's orbit. The small armada consisted of a Munificent-class star frigate, two Recusant-class light destroyers, and a C-9979 landing craft "They are here for intimidation" Naruto thought.

A clone disguised as Shikamaru leaned against the control console, arms lazily folded. "So, they've arrived, huh?" Naruto said, breaking the silence.

"That they have, boss," the Shikamaru clone replied, his voice calm but tinged with caution. "Be careful with these guys. They're here to pressure us into joining their little war, or worse. From what I've pieced together from Jabba's documents, the Separatists are a special breed of terrible. They don't just conquer planets, they exploit them until there's nothing left. At least with the Hutts, you know what you're dealing with. They're straightforward with their greed."

Naruto scowled, his fingers tightening against his arms. "I hate those kinds the most. People who pretend to be saviors but are even worse than the monsters they claim to fight."

"Still, we shouldn't brush them off entirely," came another voice, raspy and deliberate. Naruto turned to see a clone disguised as Hiruzen Sarutobi, complete with the wrinkled face, and similar maroon traditional robes atleast it looked like those, and a pipe in hand.

The Hiruzen clone puffed on his pipe thoughtfully, the blue smoke curling lazily around him. "We need to be strategic about this. Like it or not, while we're physically powerful and could take on armies, we're still in the early stages of building a technological army capable of holding its own in space. That means we need time, trade, and, more importantly, resources. Something we're still working on."

Naruto sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. But these guys are fishy. And seriously, did you have to take that form really? Of the jiji?"

"Of course, I did!" the Hiruzen clone replied, feigning offense. "I'm the wisest among us, aren't I? You wouldn't listen to a word I said if I looked like anyone else." He smirked cheekily, puffing out another ring of smoke.

Naruto rolled his eyes. " You're still smoking a pipe? Couldn't you at least make it look futuristic?"

The Hiruzen clone shrugged. "Wisdom doesn't need to change with the times, my boy"

Naruto ignored the last barb and turned toward the rest of his "council of clones" , at least those present now. Kakashi leaned against the far wall, his mask covering most of his face, arms crossed in his usual nonchalant manner. Next to him, Gai stood ramrod straight 'thank goodness there is no Lee clone' he thought. At the table's edge, the Itachi clone sat quietly, observing the discussion with his trademark calmness.

"Okay," Naruto said, addressing the room. "We've got the Separatists knocking on our door. Suggestions?"

Kakashi spoke first, his tone as casual as ever. "Well, we could always stall them. Play nice, keep them talking while we figure out their real intentions. Besides, it's not like you're going to invite them to tea, right?"

Gai clone cut in, practically brimming with energy raising his fist in the air. "Youthful diplomacy! Show them our strength but temper it with grace! A demonstration of our power would surely make them think twice about their intentions!"

Naruto blinked at him. "Did you just suggest I punch them and then apologize?"

"Precisely!" Gai beamed, giving Naruto a thumbs-up. "Balance is key, Naruto-kun!" Naruto's eye twitched at the clone's attitude and way of speaking with him. 'Do all Force users have such quirky clones?' He thought.

Naruto groaned. "Okay, let's table the 'punch and apologize' strategy for now. Itachi?"

The Itachi clone's eyes narrowed slightly, his tone measured. "We should learn their plans first. The fact that they came with such a strong fleet means they're not here for idle threats. They're either testing us or genuinely considering forcing our hand. Either way, the more we know, the better we can prepare."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that sounds right. Shikamaru, can you get me a detailed scan of their fleet? I want to know every weapon, every potential blind spot."

"Already working on it," Shikamaru replied, typing lazily on a datapad. "I'll have it for you in a few minutes."

"Good," Naruto said, turning back to the hologram of the fleet. "In the meantime, Let them land and have their meeting with me stalled "

As Naruto turned to leave, Gai suddenly stood at attention. "Naruto-kun! If you need a demonstration of youthful spirit, I'll be part of the welcome party. "

"Nope," Naruto cut him off, raising a hand. "You're staying here. Last thing I need is you challenging them to some kind of intergalactic push-up contest."

Gai pouted but said nothing, while Kakashi chuckled under his breath. "You'd be surprised how effective that might actually be."

Naruto shot him a glare. "Not helping, Kakashi."

The Hiruzen clone exhaled another puff of smoke, a twinkle of amusement in his eye. "Well, at least you've got options, Naruto-chan. Just don't forget to be wise, like me."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll try to channel your 'wisdom,' old man," Naruto muttered as he walked toward the door. "Just don't burn the place down and keep your eyes open."

Coruscant

The Jedi Temple loomed in the distance. From his balcony seat at a small, nondescript restaurant, the Jiraiya clone swirled his drink thoughtfully, the city lights reflecting off the glass. The breeze carried the faint hum of air traffic as speeders zipped by, their lights leaving faint trails in the fading dusk.

The datapad before him displayed the temple's layout, a result of his earlier infiltration into the Senate archives. While not exhaustive, the blueprints revealed enough about the temple's structure to pique his interest. Meditation chambers, libraries, and training halls were all marked, and now he had learned something more intriguing: the temple was open to visitors.

From what he had gathered, the Jedi Temple occasionally allowed guided tours for civilians. The process involved securing a pass beforehand, and visitors were shown around specific, non-sensitive areas, mainly the public halls, certain archives, and the large atrium. It seemed like a perfect opportunity.

"This could work," he muttered, tapping the datapad. "Disguise as a random civilian, join a group of visitors, and let a clone do the real exploring once inside." He smirked at the thought. "Best part? If it works, it'll be their system that let me in."

Still, he knew he needed to tread carefully. The Jedi were Force-sensitive, and even with his chakra or so called Force, suppressed, there was always the risk that someone might sense him. He leaned back in his chair, taking a long sip from his glass, the bitterness of the drink grounding his thoughts.

"I need to be thorough," he muttered. "If they sense anything, this whole thing falls apart."

The thought of being sensed by the Jedi gnawed at him. He was already suppressing his presence, but the lingering anxiety pushed him to search local methods of avoiding detection. From the snippets of information he'd overheard in Coruscant's underbelly, he had pieced together a few possibilities:

Ysalamiri:

A rare species of lizard found on the Outer Rim planet Myrkr, capable of creating "Force-neutral" zones around themselves. Though effective, obtaining one in Coruscant would be nearly impossible.

Force Dampening Amulets:

Rumored artifacts often associated with the black market, these trinkets supposedly reduced a person's Force signature. He had yet to confirm their legitimacy, but tracking one down might be worth the effort.

Meditation Techniques:

He had overheard mentions of non-Jedi Force users who practiced techniques to mask their presence. Mimicking such methods might bolster his already suppressed state. But he didn't even know where to begin on that.

"Looks like I have more to research before I try anything risky," he thought. "Better safe than sorry."

As the Jiraiya clone's gaze shifted from the datapad to the bustling city below, his thoughts wandered to the enigmatic "clone army" he'd overheard whispers about. Naruto - The Boss, had instructed him to look into it. From what he had got from Naruko it was a new force mobilized by the Republic, an army of clones supposedly capable of turning the tide of the war.

"Clones," he murmured, leaning forward with interest. "Are they like us? Born from the same essence and person, able to act independently? Or are they something else entirely? If they're like me and the others, what makes them special? Are clones really that special?"

The thought nagged at him. Naruto's clones, himself included, had individuality, some had quirks, and strength that set them apart. The idea of another kind of clone was strange yet fascinating. 'May they be like elemental clones like in memories.' He thought.

"I need to find out more," he resolved. "Are they just soldiers, or is there something deeper going on with them? If they're like us, I need to know what makes them tick."

TBC.

Well, here's the fifth chapter! My thoughts are running wild, so feel free to add to the madness by sharing your precious suggestions. The further I go, the more careful I'll need to be about what's already been written—haha!

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