Contributors: reaperofinsanity, NorthSouthGorem, No Vigilance, and UnitedOsprey1991.
Normally I'd want to finish the Arc now, but it is going to be too big for just one chapter, so here's the 2nd part.
My apologies, especially to LuciusWalker.
Enjoy.
Flashback
Keelia
Inside the village leader's home, tensions were flaring up after what had just been heard over the news.
*SLAM!*
"You can't go!"
The angry reaction came from Saku who slammed her fist into a table, the sister of the silent bystander Haru, who was watching from a distance. The trio were inside the main building while most of the village slept.
Busy packing his things up, Naruto was preparing his bag with essentials like bandages, rationed food, blaster ammunition, and even a spare blaster he had with him. With him just now getting his clothes, he tried to ignore what was happening behind him.
"Kid, we're ready." Jango entered the home, by himself as he said this. "Ship's warming up. Waiting for you. We can either leave tomorrow morning or now, it's your call."
"Naruto you cannot be serious about thinking of going there, do you?" Saku tried to talk him out of it. "It's a war out there, their war, not yours."
"It is my war, that's about it," Naruto responded, putting a shirt inside the bag. "I have to go. I need to."
"No, you will not!"
"SAKU!"
The sudden outburst that echoed across the room came from the usually calm and reserved Haru. Surprising those inside the room even Jango, but mainly Saku and Naruto whose expressions were visible.
"Saku, Mr. Fett," Haru spoke in her polite voice. "Can you please leave me alone with Naruto for the moment?"
"Haru…"
"Please."
…
"I will be waiting outside," Jango said as he began to walk out the door and spoke to Saku. "Come, your sister asked."
Hesitant at first, Saku saw the look on her sister's face. A look she didn't show too often, it was a serious look, as she stared at her younger sister.
"Saku, please."
"... Okay." Saku sighed as she took her cue to leave the room with a distressed look on her face as if she was on the verge of tearing up.
Leaving them as the only two in the room. Haru approached the blond teenager. Only a few inches smaller than him, her orange flats were close to his rugged boots as she was now looking up into his eyes.
Sapphire blue met with a lighter shade of blue, more like that of the ocean in its calmest form. As if they showed the shallow tide to the deep sea, that's how blue they were.
Staring into his eyes, at first Haru said nothing, leaving only silence.
"So you are going?"
Naruto's eyes closed as he tried to turn away from her, but he felt her hand on his cheek as she guided his eyes back to her, showing that she wanted a response.
The proximity of the two being this close alone was something Naruto was not comfortable with, as he answered.
"I need to help my friends… I cannot abandon them."
Hearing that answer made Haru turn around as she walked over to her bedroom, leaving Naruto alone for a moment.
Shaking his head, Naruto turned around and was about to grab his bag-
'Don't. Just wait.'
Kurama's warning caused Naruto's hand to stop as he heard Haru's footsteps on the wooden floor. Walking through the door with something in her hand, covered in brown cloth that she held with both hands.
"Here…open it."
Accepting it, Naruto glanced at her before focusing on the cloth. He began unwrapping it and inside, lay something he didn't expect.
It was a blade, a combat knife to be exact. A 12-inch durasteel blade and handle with beskar-tipped knuckles, with a pattern imprinted on them that was handmade, and it looked like it was kept in excellent condition.
(Tyler555 aka reaperofinsanity says this is the fireball Damascus pattern. Thanks, T!)
Haru offered it and asked. "Please….try it."
Naruto grabbed the handle of the weapon and picked it up, giving it a swing and seeing that it was in more than good condition.
'Sharp as a Kunai, light as a Shuriken…not bad….and it even has Beskar Steel in it.'
Giving it one more swing, Naruto was left with a good impression.
"Haru, this blade…it has-"
"Yes…it was Asu's blade…" Haru said to him. "... It has Beskar in it, it is Mandalorian… perhaps your people."
Naruto turned his head back to Haru with an even more confused look.
"You're a member of the Uzumaki Clan. A clan of Mandalorian warriors who visited my world when my grandfather was young." Haru said as she approached him with the kind smile she was known for. "He told me and my sister about how they used to come here often, stopping by for trade before they went to fight off those who threatened their friends…"
"Haru I-"
Haru's soft finger was pressed over Naruto's lip, not allowing him to speak anymore as she wasn't finished talking yet.
"I know it's no coincidence you are one, and I know you will go and fight. To help your friends who were also Asu's. So please, I understand….but let me ask you one thing."
"And that is?"
…
*Kiss!*
Without any resistance, Naruto stood there as his lips were met with Haru's who had taken the initiative. Pressing hers against his as she went all in and wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on the tips of her toes so she could reach the blond's face.
And in return, Naruto just accepted it. He didn't know how to react to this move, but captured by it, he then embraced the girl with his arms crossed around her hips, pulling her closer to him. A light moan escaped their mouths as the two closed their eyes to deepen into the passionate scene…
But before they could, it was over, when Haru ended the kiss, her face paint markings were ruined as tears fell from the eyes of the blonde girl who went on to ask.
"Just stay…for one more night…please."
…
*Click!*
Activating his com wrist, Naruto said one thing through it while staring at Haru.
"Jango, Naruto here….we'll leave tomorrow morning…"
Ending that transmission without waiting for a response, Naruto's hand was then grabbed by Haru who guided him slowly towards the bedroom. Dimming all the lights on the way to make the house dark.
With the last light about to be turned down, they entered the room for one last night on Keelia.
With the last switch.
*Click!*
…
"Hey, son!"
*Snap!* *Snap!* *Snap!*
The sound of snapping fingers caused Naruto to open his eyelids, who was slowly waking up to the sight of three people in his face. The man snapping their fingers in front of his face was none other than the Army Ranger, Sergeant Foley.
"Get back to your senses, son. You got hit pretty bad." Foley said turning his head to the other Ranger. "Dunn, pull him up."
"On it, sarge," Dunn said pulling up the blond and asking him. "Hey kid, are you okay?"
"H-Haru?"
"Uhm no. That's Ramirez." Dunn said pointing at the Hispanic Ranger. "He doesn't look like a Haru, but okay."
Ramirez, a man of few words, just shook his head as he helped Naruto stand up fully and patted him on the back as he stopped him from falling. As Naruto got his balance back.
"W-Where's Haru?-"
'Kid, shut up.'
'How so? What did I do wron-'
"Narutoooo…" A feminine voice began angrily.
Realizing quickly who it was by the sound of their voice, Naruto turned to see Sabine in her full-colored Mandalorian gear, walking up with her arm thrown back.
"Who is Haru?"
"S-Sabine?" Naruto realized who was standing in front of him, and by the looks of it she was not happy, he began to hold his hands up. "Wait, I can explain-"
*PUNCH!*
And right there with another right hook from the Wren girl, Naruto got knocked to the ground, knocking him out yet again with some yelling being heard as he fell into unconsciousness.
"Wow, he got knocked the fuck out."
Orbit Earth
Above the Western Hemisphere stood one active fleet of the invading Zygerrian army, or what there was left over from the last few weeks that was still intact. Several Munificent-class star frigates were seen hovering around one Lucrehulk-class battleship that was remaining alongside the DH-Omni Support Vessel that was close by being guarded by a few of the frigates.
But the main ship was one Providence-class destroyer that was spearheading the fleet. Seen as it was the only destroyer in the entire system, this was the flagship of the invasion fleet…or what was left over.
And it was no joke or even a hint of humor being said this was what was left of the invading fleet, with the sentiment being the least welcome inside the destroyer ship.
Inside the bridge of the flagship was the crew seen working without given a moment of rest with that being not allowed in the presence of Prime Minister Atai Molec himself on the deck, who was less than pleased to hear more of the results of the designated admiral who was debriefing him on the reports.
"With our latest evacuation mission having been completed. Another fourteen ships have successfully arrived back in Zygerria. Meaning we've brought another half a million men home, alive that is." The admiral continued on with the pad he held and read out the information. "These were men mainly from the South East Asia campaign, from India to-"
"Have you heard anything from our contacts on Earth?" Molec interrupted his admiral with no politeness in his voice, rather brutish. "I've yet to hear anything from them lately."
The admiral was hesitant but then informed him. "Prime Minister, I'm sorry-"
"TELL ME!"
The shout was enough to cause everybody of the crew on the bridge to stop in silence and fear, with the Prime Minister's anger exploding often, they still were scared of him. Seeing the admiral being confronted.
But before the admiral could answer the question one of Minister Molec's personal guards appeared who had something to tell him.
"My lord, Count Dooku wishes to speak to you…alongside our Queen."
…
"This war ends now."
That was the sound of Count Dooku who was in the company of Queen Miraj Scintel, who both were in holographic form speaking to the Prime Minister and the newly appointed Admiral who was standing behind the elected official with sweat visible on his forehead.
The last week of defeats and evacuations have begun to put immense pressure on the Zygerrians who were being told to leave planet Earth now that even the arms suppliers from the Confederacy were saying to end the military excursion, putting a strain on relations and possibly isolating them across the galaxy from the few allies they had left, they were in a dire situation.
Queen Miraj even attempted to speak from her own palace. With there being no small rumor about Count Dooku barely escaping the fighting in the US capital, she tried to talk to him.
"Dear Count, I beg you to listen to reason. With the evacuations having been completed, my men under the watchful eye of Prime Minister Molec have made significant progress-"
"Progress I have yet to see for myself, that on the Zygerrian military side if I need to mention. I have however seen the full effect of the counteroffensive of the Americans in the Southern Front, which is more than undesirable to have witnessed."
The counteroffensive that was being mentioned was known as Operation Alamo, one of the biggest military operations of the US Armed Forces in the history of the country. Where nearly half a million men fought across the entirety of Texas and parts of New Mexico and Arizona which resulted in the expulsion of Zygerrian occupation in the southern reach of the US.
Expulsion was the most polite term that the Count could have given it, but in reality, they were evaporated. Even with the Zygerrians having more men on the ground in Texas, they were still however outgunned and outmaneuvered by the locals in both the front and rear lines. With the remaining Zygerrian forces having been forced across the Mexican border where the US stopped its march.
"The resulting defeats you've suffered in the southern front alone have shown more reason for this ceasefire to be prioritized. Because I can say with full support that the Parliament's representative of Miss Bonteri has brokered one with the Americans - the final ceasefire will be tomorrow."
"NO!" Prime Minister Molec shouted, opposed to the idea. "We can still win this! We control the capital!"
"Do not dare to raise your voice against me… And you barely control the city. I've seen for myself firsthand how your forces were decimated by these Ölüm fighters who have proven themselves."
"Bah! They were lucky that-"
"They have the backing of a professionalized army that is providing air, ground, and naval support from all sides in the hundreds of thousands who are ready to start their counteroffensive. The same forces that have currently surrounded your men from all sides. If you continue your attempts to take the whole capital, you will be facing a military defeat that will only be the fault of you and your surviving commanders."
Hearing that caused the Queen to respond.
"So if we just keep our forces silent for a few hours, we might see victory?"
"Until the afternoon, you might. But it depends on the Americans - if they proceed to attack first, but whatever you do: make sure this war ends in a stalemate, not in an American decisive victory."
"We'll do so, Count." The unnamed admiral nodded in agreement. "We can do this,"
"Good, because this war ends tomorrow."
Dooku's hologram deactivated leaving Queen Miraj to stand there before she also then cut communication. Ending the conversation.
"I'll prepare for the final evacuations of our troops in the area." The admiral spoke as he turned around to one of his aides. "Prepare the ships for-"
"We attack."
The admiral was shocked by what he just heard. "Excuse me?"
"We will attack the enemy positions in the capital." Prime Minister Molec repeated himself. "I order you to use this ship for a frontal assault on the Ölüm positions in DC."
The admiral was not confident with what he was being told, but he could only follow orders.
"We will attack the enemy in the early morning."
Night
Washington DC
With the cover of the night, moving around the city was easier with the danger of skirmishes having decreased with the prospect of a ceasefire being close.
This allowed a group of people to travel through the city streets from the safe zone to try and reach the combat zone.
"Star!"
The group stopped walking and found themselves at a checkpoint that was guarded by several armed men.
"Star! Or we will fire on you!"
"We're war correspondents!" The leader of the group responded quickly before pulling out a card. "We are here to report to the frontline soldiers!"
"Are you out of your fucking mind?! We're in the middle of a war zone!" The soldier in the front said to them. "Where do you even come from?"
"The safe zone and we were granted permission!"
"...Fuck, no chances of sending you guys back - get over here!" The soldier at the checkpoint yelled as they ran over. "Make your way towards Whiskey Hotel!"
"Thank you. We'll go through."
"Move it!"
The group of journalists made their way through the checkpoint with some of them looking very suspicious-
*BOOM!*
But those thoughts were set aside when an explosion occurred not even a mile away from them with one building set ablaze by it.
The correspondents were seen running through the street, one however asked the other a direct question.
"What's Whiskey Hotel?"
"It's another name for the White House, That term hasn't been used in a long time though!" An older man with military experience said before he continued. "Let's stop wasting time and keep moving."
More explosions could be heard with the group picking up the pace and running towards the large white building.
*BOOM!*
…
That explosion was heard and felt even within the White House walls, with those on the lower levels being the most frightened.
In the lower levels lay the medical bay where wounded soldiers, civilians, and even captured and treated prisoners were being kept. Occupied by hundreds of people, this confined space was only big enough for a small team to work in.
Covered by white sheets and wearing green overalls, the doctors, nurses, and medical professionals who have taken their place within the White House were busy saving lives.
One of those surgeons was Idel, who was now working on a young teenager who was pulled out of a building that had been hit by Zygerrian artillery. The boy was the only survivor from the residential area that wasn't even near any military installations.
"Even now those bastards are shelling civilian homes." One of the nurses spoke while focusing on his job. "Boy here lived near a church."
"Keep the complaints for later," Idel told him as she ordered another nearby nurse. "Get upstairs and grab more Morphine."
"Right." The nurse nodded as she left the surgery room to try and get more supplies, with the operation nearly finished.
"Let's finish this."
Walking through a door, the nurse was seen making her way through the hallways where she was met with dozens of displaced people who were resting on the floor or trying to figure out what to do. With her bypassing a few armed men.
Armed, sentient alien men like Chewbacca who was seen lugging around a few MG's like it was nothing while a few of the local Army boys were following him with ammunition.
Walking past one makeshift barracks, where Naruto was laying on a mattress while holding his head.
…
"Ugh…." Naruto said as he was given an ice pack to ease the pain in his head. "Thanks, Sabine. I-"
"Shut up."
"Look, I- Hmm!"
Before Naruto got the chance to finish his sentence, Sabine's lips were planted on his, holding his hand in her own gloved hands she did not allow him to move his head an inch.
He could feel the raw passion, coming from the slight pulse of energy from her hands, caressing his whiskered cheeks. Both of them were experiencing a convulsion in their muscles as her hands clutched passionately to Naruto's face, taking him for herself.
They broke the kiss, and a line of saliva came out from both of their mouths. Sabine's lips were filled with a sensuality that was beginning to turn her on like a fire being ignited, her face was blinded with an aroused need.
"Shut up…" Sabine said, suppressing her blush. "Do you know how long I've been looking for you?"
"And she isn't kidding."
It was when this caused both Sabine and Naruto to remind themselves to turn to the other people present in the room. Where Jango was seen standing with two of the three Nite Owls watching in amusement.
"My oh my, Sabine. You are going in like that?" The tall Rahab spoke in amusement while leaning down. "If you are going to turn it into a live show, then don't stop."
This caused Sabine and Naruto to turn red and separate their bodies from each other, causing even more laughter.
"Oh please, Rahab." Giggling Koska suppressed herself from giggling as she went on to introduce herself. "Nice to meet you Naruto Uzumaki. My name's Koska Reeves. I'm Sabine's former teacher."
"Oh, you must be Sabine's tutor, Miss Reeves." Naruto politely shook her hand with a gentle shake, even going further by kissing the back of her hand. "Su cuy'gar, bic cuyir an ijaat at urcir gar."
(Mandalorian translation - Hello, it is an honor to meet you)
The gentlemanly behavior that Naruto was showing to them caught the three female Mandalorians off guard, especially Sabine who was especially shocked. But the fact he even took the time to speak Mandalorian was another notch to their surprise.
Koska smiled with a chuckle as she turned to Sabine. "Sabine, he's a keeper." She added with a sly smile. "A good fighter and a gentleman? You sure hit the jackpot."
A smirk would have been spotted on Jango's face if he hadn't had his helmet taken off, as he was partly responsible for at least teaching Naruto about some of the ethics and behavior of Mandalorian customs. He however didn't expect him to use them on some of the members of the same group he'd fought against for decades.
Let alone a member of the current Royal Family. With Bo-Katan herself leaning against the door with her arms crossed and with her helmet in her hands, she quietly observed.
"I am just trying to be a friendly host to the friends of my girlfriend," Naruto said rubbing the back of his head. "I got to thank Jango for that." He gestured to him. "He's been tutoring me about all that I need to know about Mandalorian culture right now."
The Nite Owls turned to Jango Fett, who just stood there with his arms closed.
"I taught everything I could about the past of our people, the rest he learned by himself," Jango stated. "If that is what you wanted to know, Bo-Katan Kryze."
"No, but it is nice to know you're teaching our customs so freely to strangers, Fett," Bo-Katan said in return. "I expect little else from a killer-for-hire."
The tension was already growing between the Mandalorian woman and the bounty hunter, with them closing the gap, it was quickly turning into a confrontation.
"Funny, speaking the language of your sister? Now that is not entirely fair given you and your band yourselves have no problem taking credits for jobs." Jango told her in a fair warning. "So don't start preaching to me like Duchess Satine. Princess."
"Don't dare bring up that name," Bo-Katan warned him, having reached a limit. "I am not the one who is teaching our ways to some orphan whose only link is because of his name."
"Watch your mouth, Kryze. You are in dangerous territory now…"
Then when things started getting more tense, Tayuya walked in, causing them to ease up.
"... We are in the middle of a war."
"Shithead, Jango, you're up for sentry duty. So pack your shit and get up front." Tayuya said to him briefly before leaving.
"Alright, let's go then," Naruto said as he picked up his Suomi gun and a pack of ammo. "Three hours into No Man's Land. Let's go."
"Right," Jango said grabbing his own gear. "I have to check on Boba before we go."
"We can go by and check on him, no problem," Naruto said as he grabbed his poncho coat and walked over towards the door, but stopped next to Bo-Katan and looked her right into the eyes.
"If you'll excuse me, I need to help protect my friend's homes."
With that said, Naruto and Jango started leaving the room before Naruto stopped in his tracks.
"Oh, I forgot." Naruto turned back around to Sabine. "Here."
*Kiss!*
Without giving any thought to those around him, Naruto just fully kissed Sabine on the lips before he left her blushing as he smiled at her and walked out the door.
leaving the Nite Owls to themselves. With some impressions more daring than others.
"Sabine, you sly girl." Rahab began first not holding back her words with a chuckle. "You two willing to do that in the open? Next thing you're going to be making love under the sheets."
"Don't talk absurd, Rahab. Sabine's not old enough for that kind of activity." Bo-Katan told her friend off before turning to the youngest. "Isn't that right?"
And there Sabine made the mistake of not covering up her cheeks which were growing red when that was mentioned.
"Sabine...you didn't-"
"Uhmmm."
"SHE DID!" Rahab shouted with her hands covering her mouth to suppress the laughter and her curiosity got the better of her. "You didn't tell us you had done it, I hope he was good with you."
"RAHAB!"
"Please, it's already embarrassing for Sabine as it is," Koska said holding her hands up to calm the situation. Smiling while trying to calm things down. "It was probably just a quickie."
"Ah, actually it wasn't…?"
The three women turned to Sabine in confusion, and they could see she was somehow being more confident about it.
"Well, we did in secret…or tried to keep it secret." Sabine began as she couldn't help but smile at that memory as she recounted it while telling her friends. "We were in the Infirmary…where I approached him."
Coruscant
Jedi Temple
Within the temple, another council meeting took place inside the chambers with only the presence of a few masters who were available at the time. Grand Master Yoda, Master Windu, and Shaak Ti were present at the transmission coming from the Terran Sector.
"So you say that even with the agreed-upon ceasefire being only a mere few hours away, heavy fighting is still going on outside the city?"
Speaking through the holo-link were Obi-Wan with Anakin, with a different link Quinlan Vos who was currently in a different position than the other two Jedi.
"Yes, the Americans have made it clear that they are intending to fully recapture their capital city within the timeframe," Vos spoke with his hood over his head as he was continuing on with loud sound in the background. "The loud banging you are hearing is their artillery batteries. They are trying to soften up the Zygerrian positions within the city."
"Are there no efforts being made to halt the fighting even now?" Shaak Ti asked concerned about the situation.
"There are but they're falling on deaf ears. Especially the commander of the main assault force. Colonel John Konrad." Vos responded to her question. "He's leading the assault from the north and is making progress even as we speak, and neither he nor his men are in any mood to halt their operations now that they can see the government district. And the same goes for the other field commanders with whom I have spoken."
"That leads us to the subject of the city itself." Master Plo Koon began as he turned his attention to the pair. "Master Kenobi, what can you and your Padawan tell us about the fighting within the city?"
"Unfortunately I can say that we have less welcoming news than that of Master Vos." Obi-Wan began while addressing the others. "The stronghold inside Washington DC has expanded its hold under the command of Ölüm leader Tarik Karim, who's now been folded back into the United States Military. And he shares the same sentiment as that of the other US commanders."
Windu asked. "And the Ölüm Fighters themselves?"
"They are less enthusiastic about this nearing ceasefire, Master." It was Anakin who decided to speak now, as he was in no position to do so yet but continued regardless. "They have shown to be continuing with small skirmishes as well as back-and-forth shootouts with the Zygerrians."
"So I've heard. The reports of these Ölüm Fighters engaging in combat with the Zygerrians are stunningly brutal." Master Vos spoke of them now that they were mentioned. "Some of their leaders like Tayuya have been known to not take any prisoners. Causing some worries to be turned to them."
"With all due respect, Master Vos, but given the background about these fighters-"
"Padawan, you are done talking for now," Obi-Wan told his apprentice. "But he is not wrong. The fighters of Ölüm given their past grievances with the Zygerrians, are less happy to know that this ceasefire might end up in a stalemate. That is why we are to believe something will happen very soon."
Yoda was then asking the one important one that was on his mind.
"Strong the Force is on this planet, in the city, you are in, it is." The Grand Master began. "You located him, Naruto Uzumaki, you have?"
…
"He is here, master. However, we did not have the chance to speak with him due to unexpected visitors."
"Visitors, you say?"
"Mandalorians."
Earth - United States
DC
No Man's Land
Between the White House and Capitol building, there lay a large swath of lawn, easily large enough to accommodate a million people for auspicious events, such as inaugurations.
Now, however, those grounds lay desolate, shot up, dug up, or carved into winding trenches by either side. In the middle was No Man's Land, fit only for the dead and wreckage of vehicles.
Those trenches were filled with both the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 7th Division. Ever since the fighting had reached DC, they had joined the fray, suffering great casualties even as foreign volunteers joined their numbers.
Naruto was one of those volunteers, loading an E-Web Heavy Repeating Blaster from his sentry position, with him having the power generator already set up, the weapon was nearly ready for full use in case of an attack.
An attack that needed to come from the nearly mile-long space between the friendly trenches that separated them from their enemy.
*Rawgh!"
Turning his head around, Naruto saw he had company and was glad to see it was the big Wookie himself who came in.
"Chewie, what are you doing here? It is not your shift."
"BWRAWHL!" Chewbacca replied as he was seen dropping some provisions next to Naruto, some water, and ammunition.
Seeing this got Naruto to nod. "Thank you, big guy."
Chewie gave a few smaller roars before he proceeded to return to the first line as he happened to walk past Jango Fett who came up to him while lowering himself towards the sentry.
"Hey, kid, how's it going here?" Jango said tapping Naruto's back as he sat next to him and looked out the land. "Seen anything suspicious?"
"Nope, been working on the E-Web for now, it got overheated in the last attack," Naruto said holding a part he was screwing back in with repair tools. "Besides, Mutani's on the lookout."
"Mutani?" Jango asked.
In the corner laid a figure that rose up, cloaked from head to toe in rough, tan-colored robes and wrappings, except the head that turned towards Jango - showing it to be in its full traditional gear and with his cycle rifle and the well-known intimidating mask that got them to be known very well.
"A Tusken?"
"Urk! Urk!" The Tusken responded in his native language, turning to Naruto, and started to show sign language to Naruto, trying to say something.
'Tell your friend, I am no danger to him.'
Naruto responded by doing sign language back to his friend.
'He will know, do not be afraid, Mutani.'
Nodding back in response, Mutani grabbed the binoculars next to him and went back on the watch, with his long-range cycler next to him.
"Quite strange," Jango eased up and sat. "A Tusken far off from Tatooine is highly unusual."
"He was in Ölüm," Naruto said shortly, finishing the blaster as he explained. "Was brought there with his entire family and tribe right before I arrived….he was the only one left."
*BLAST!*
Hearing that made Jango turn his head towards the Tusken. With Mutani having just fired a shot from his slugthrower cycler rifle, he was presumed to have just cut down another enemy.
"He's been hunting Zygerrians ever since he arrived here," Naruto said as he was shown to be unfazed by what just happened, connecting the power box to the E-Web blaster. "He got even here before we both came along. Having been a sharpshooter with Tayuya's people. Mutani wants to finish this war on his terms before he's done."
"And his terms being?..."
Naruto held no words back on what his friend once told him.
"Take as many of these slavers to their early graves as possible."
Jango could only sigh as he turned to the rest of the trench, where the frontline was mainly occupied by those foreign volunteers, including many of the Ölüm fighters. Among them were also local forces but the vast majority of those up in the first line of defense were from other worlds.
And it would be an understatement that their spirits were begging for an assault - for more blood to be spilled by their hands.
"Stop!"
In the night something was moving, as a small figure was seen hurling a bag with him towards the trench, causing some of the men inside to grab for their rifles and aim for the unknown person.
"I said stop-"
"Ny shootogawa! Ny shootogawa!"
(Translation - Don't shoot, don't shoot.)
"Hold your fire, damn it!" Naruto shouted to them, causing everyone to turn to him as he stood up and walked up to them. "I know who it is, it's Teeka."
"Utini!"
Jumping into the trench with a brown cloak the only visible part of his body was a pair of yellow eyes, its name was Teeka.
"Teeka, you know it is dangerous out there." Naruto walked over to him and nearly raised his hand to the Jawa. "Walking into that field? Are you out of your mind?"
The Jawa continued to then say numerous things to him and then pulled out some items from the sack with inside of it parts, scrap or any other valuable he managed to find.
"I don't care, you could've gotten killed." Naruto reminded him while irritated. "Get out of here, before I make you."
Teeka threw a fit at Naruto before he went on to grab his bag of valuables of his and walk down the trench with a few people seen teasing the small guy.
"Jawas, such thieving people," Jango said shaking his head at it. "No doubt in my mind he stole parts from those downed ships across the city."
"Yes, they are that…but they also have their uses," Naruto said admitting as he had used the little man. "We know the enemy's position just because he has the size of a child. So let him keep the scrap."
…
A few hours later
National Mall
1 hour before the ceasefire
When noon came, people quietly hoped for a ceasefire.
A thick fog had covered the whole city, and nothing could fly through it due to the lack of long-range visibility.
"Go, go, go."
At that silent signal, the quiet was broken by the sounds of many boots as many soldiers advanced across No Man's Land.
They were a diverse mix of fighters, both foreign and native, like their enemies, all on the brink of exhaustion and low morale.
Slowly they advanced, squaring up for a final showdown.
…
The silence gave away a false impression of peace nearing within the next few hours, but not everybody was as convinced of this.
One of them was Naruto, seen walking down the trench with a cup of warm coffee he had gotten himself from the second trench behind them, as he'd had one already.
"Here, you could use it."
"Thank you, kid," Jango said as he accepted it as and took a sip from it. "So, looks like we might see no fighting at all for now."
"Yeah, perhaps it is for the better," Naruto responded in agreement. "The sooner this is over, the better." He then asked his mentor. "Have you seen Sabine or her friends?"
"They're still in that White House for all I know," Jango said. "Bo-Katan Kryze said she will not participate in a war she has no gains from."
They continued walking through the trench, where the men were passing the time with conversation, food, and even a little laughter.
"I wouldn't blame her," said Naruto, taking a sip of his coffee. Honestly, he just wanted this to end.
Jango halted as well, and both of them craned their necks as new sounds reached their ears.
Roaring, shouting, battle cries - approaching from across No Man's Land.
Naruto was the first to react.
"ATTACK! ENEMIES APPROACHING!" he bellowed out to the men in the trenches while pulling out his whistle, "BATTLE STATIONS!"
The whistle's high-pitched scream cut across the relaxed atmosphere like a knife. Causing the whole trench to react quickly as the food was dropped and weapons were grabbed.
From the horizon and appearing from the thick fog came hundreds of Zygerrians with weapons charging towards the trench, with some more daring than others.
"KRRRREEEERRRRRHHHH!"
*BLAST!*
The first shots that were fired came from the Tusken sharpshooter Mutani himself who now had a visual on the enemy, sparing no time in taking out the advancing Zygerrians who were now visible with his rifle, he dropped one to the ground before reloading for another shot.
Soon other rifles were coming out of the trenches as the order was being given.
"OPEN FIRE!"
Soon every blaster and slugthrower rifle started bursting with gunfire being concentrated on the advancing Zygerrians who were coming in droves.
The gunner of the E-Web Repeating Blaster that was set up earlier was picking targets for it to shoot with unending gunfire cutting down many.
The bodies started to cover the land even more with the Zygerrians not stopping, some even having reached some cover that they then used to throw thermal detonators at the trenches.
"They're at throwing range!" Yasser shouted while reloading his rifle. "Shoot them first before they get a chance!"
Jango fired his blasters at two Zygerrians that he took out quickly before they even could throw their grenades, even hitting another one that tried to run into the trench.
Naruto was also firing his Suomi machine gun at nearby enemies, unfortunately finding himself without his ammo bag as he only had two drum mags on him while blaster fire was going over his head left and right.
More and more Zygerrians and their hired mercenaries were seen coming from the fog as they kept running past their fallen comrades to keep the pressure on the defenders, some of whom just stepped over the corpses and even the wounded to try to reach the first line of defenses.
"They're are too many of them!"
"Keep firing! If it comes to it then prepare for close combat!" One fighter shouted to the others. "Don't give them an inch!"
Naruto who happened to be standing next to old man Yasser, was down to his last magazine as he was picking off targets as fast as he could, but bad luck came for him when his gun jammed.
"Damn it, not now!" Naruto ducked into cover as he went for his last magazine in his pouch. "I need a minute!"
He started to reload before a thermal detonator landed near him and Yasser causing both of them to panic.
'Kid!'
'What-'
*BOOM!*
The explosion rocked that part of the trench and caused Jango to turn his head towards the impacted area when he quickly realized.
"dank farrik…"
White House
People were pouring out of the White House as the sound of explosions and gunfire could be heard from where they stood, with a crowd starting to form.
"Out of my way! Move!"
Tarik was seen going through with a few of the other members of his staff as he could see the smoke appearing from the sky, and gunfire going off without any pause. He had his own binoculars out as he wanted to see for himself what was going on.
From a distance stood Obi-Wan, joined by his padawan Anakin.
"Fighting has broken out."
"Yes, the Zygerrians started an assault on the first lines," Anakin said, causing his master to look at him. "They're trying to reach this building before the ceasefire begins,"
Obi-Wan responded. "But there's only one hour left." Looking back when he heard an explosion from afar. "Don't tell me they are willing…"
"Zygerrian pride got hurt, so I am not surprised," Anakin commented. "But this Naruto, master, isn't he supposed to be there now?"
*FWOOP!*
The sound of thrusters going off made the two Jedi turn their heads up and see that the group of Mandalorians were flying towards the frontline, with blasters visible in their hands.
"By the looks of it, he is," Obi-Wan said as he tapped his Padawan on the shoulder. "Now come on, we need to have a better look up front."
"Going into a war zone, master?" Anakin asked while following him. "We're not supposed to be fighting."
"No, but we need to observe this from a better angle and see if the boy is still alive," Obi-Wan said as he walked. "I feel the Force is going to have a strong presence in this battle."
"So do I…"
Both Jedi left without anybody noticing their absence, except for a few delegates who saw them disappear into the chaos of the growing crowd.
Including a few Shinobi who also quickly took their leave from the crowd.
I hope you all liked this chapter and leave some reviews for the fic.
Yes, I re-introduced an old character from my old fic. I got plans.
Anyhow, hope you all have a nice day.
Peace.