944Here's the new chapter, people, I hope you all will like it.
First of all, to the AI artists who keep spamming my box, I will politely ask you to piss off, I do not want your damn AI fan comics or whatever you are proposing.
Second, to the actual fans of this story, I hope you all have a good evening and enjoy the fic. Leave a comment/Review down below once you are done, anything is welcome EXCEPT AI artists, I'm cussing you out on sight.
Anyway, let's start.
[Coruscant]
Inside the dimly lit office of Chancellor Palpatine, the atmosphere was charged with anxiety as senators and Jedi assembled for a critical meeting. Just moments earlier, they had listened intently to Obi-Wan Kenobi's alarming report from Geonosis, which laid bare the shocking details of an impending conflict. The room fell silent, tension thick in the air, as the implications of his findings began to sink in.
The revelation that droid foundries were clandestinely constructing vast armies on Geonosis was staggering. The operation was orchestrated by Viceroy Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation, whose name now echoed with dread among the gathered officials. It was Gunray who, driven by ambition and malice, had been implicated in the recent assassination attempts on Senator Padmé Amidala. His extensive infrastructure on the planet was not merely a product of local cooperation; it was firmly bolstered by the support of the Geonosians, a species known for their expertise in arena combat and large-scale manufacturing, with their leader, Poggle the Lasser, being sympathetic to the Separatist cause.
Moreover, the involvement of the former Jedi, Count Dooku, sent ripples of fear through the gathered assembly. Dooku, once a respected member of the Jedi Order, had openly allied himself with the Commerce Guild and the Corporate Alliance, both influential factions with extensive resources. Their pledges of allegiance, alongside the commitment of their armies, marked a significant turning point in the conflict. Particularly alarming was that Dooku had been captured, raising questions about his next moves and the potential ramifications for the Jedi Council.
Amidst the murmurs of dismay and the wide-eyed expressions of disbelief among the senators and Jedi present, young Pantoran Senator Riyo Chuchi stood out. Her gaze was drawn to the more panicky and unprepared senators, delegates, ambassadors, officials, and members of the Order. She happened to find the person next to her giving a stern look. Jiraiya was having a calm, composed reaction as he stroked his chin.
"The Commerce Guilds are preparing for war." Bail Organa worded out first, strolling back and forth with his arms crossed, the first to speak out of them, "There can be no doubt of that."
"Count Dooku must've made a treaty with them," Palpatine worded his thoughts into this, looking concerned as he mentioned, "Perhaps they also have gotten an agreement with the Ölüm commanders by the looks of it."
"That I am not certain of, Chancellor, Jango Fett's primary reasoning seems to be monetary, that of a bounty hunter by the looks of it." Bail Organa disagreed with the last statement, but continued, "On the possibility of such a treaty - there can be no doubt about that."
"[The debate is over.]" The Gran senator Ask Ask spoke in his native language, having already made up his mind about the early discoveries, "[Now we need that clone army.]"
With the earlier reports of Obi-Wan Kenobi's findings on Kamino having just been disclosed by the Jedi present, both Windu and Yoda, who stood there, the Republic senator brought it up in the face of the fact that now a droid army was ready,
However, Bail Organa turned to the senator and said, "Unfortunately, the debate is not over. The Senate will never approve the use of clones before the separatists attack."
"Let alone, this might be morally questionable if you ask me," Jiraiya whispered his opinion on the matter, happening to be Riyo Chuchi, who heard him.
"How so, senator?"
"An army of clones supposedly prepared and ready just for this? And by a Jedi Master named Sifo-Dyas, who has been dead for years, also leaving the Council oblivious." Jiraiya told her what he had figured out, advising, "Whatever you do, kid, always question everyone and everything - a coincidence like this is too good to be true."
While the young Pantoran politician took this advice to heart, the nearby Jedi Masters, including Master Windu, also recognized its importance and kept it in mind.
"This is a crisis," Mas Amedda declared with urgency, his voice booming to seize the room's full attention. "There is only one solution. The Senate must be persuaded to vote the Chancellor's emergency powers. Only then can we approve the creation of an army."
Palpatine's face grew shadowed with concern, and he leaned forward, feigning unease and doubt. Looking around at the gathered company, he let the silence linger momentarily before speaking. "But what senator would have the courage to propose such a radical amendment?"
"If only Senator Amidala were here," Mas Amedda said, turning to the Chancellor. They faced a dilemma, but one Gungan found courage.
Unfortunately, that courage could easily be misused.
[Geonosis]
Obi-Wan Kenobi was hung suspended in the glowing blue containment field, the energy pulsating rhythmically around him like a heartbeat. The harsh light of Geonosis bathed him in stark relief, casting long shadows in the dim cavernous chamber. He could hear the hum of machinery and the distant clatter of droids, their mechanical voices merging with the eerie stillness surrounding him. He had been caught, and not just simply, but on multiple sides, and was neutralized by droidekas and some unknown figures who quickly knocked him out. Having woken up, not long after he was confronted by Count Dooku, who told him some very unsettling things that he could not escape from his mind.
'What if I told you that the Republic was now under the control of the dark lord of the Sith?"
"The dark side of the Force has clouded their vision, my friend. Hundreds of senators are now under the influence of a Sith lord called Darth Sidious."
That is what kept sticking in the mind of the Jedi Master as he initially refused these statements from the count to be truthful, as a simple trick to get him to join his master's former teacher, as Dooku had even just asked him to join against the Sith, to which he declined.
It all felt very suspicious, and just as he rotated around with his back against the entrance door, he could hear it open, and Obi-Wan responded.
"I should have known you would come here, bounty hunter."
Entering in wearing his Mandalorian armor, Jango Fett did so while carrying his helmet underneath his arm. And he looked at the captive Jedi with a neutral gaze before responding.
"You only have yourself to blame for the situation you've gotten yourself into, Master Jedi. Geonosians are not known to be kind to trespassers." Jango said while he observed the Jedi and added in from what he figured out, the natives called him further, "Let alone a suspected spy."
"And here I heard from Count Dooku the Geonosians don't trust you bounty hunters," Obi-Wan responded as he rotated in his captivity to the point he was facing Jango, and reminded him, "Let alone one attempting to take the life of a senator of the Republic Senate - contracted by Viceroy Gunray to be precise."
As both men faced each other, Obi-Wan fixed a watchful glare on Fett. The Beskar-clad mercenary merely returned a steady stare at the captured Jedi, whom he had attempted to shake off. Now, he had unintentionally created a situation that would have significant ramifications for the galaxy.
"You shouldn't have come here, Kenobi." Despite his stoic tone, Jango's words were tinged with a subtle hint of disappointment: "This is going to be chaotic, not an ideal situation for anybody."
"Like whom?" Obi-Wan responded dismissively, skeptical of the bounty hunter's pretense of concern. "For your pockets?"
"My son," Jango replied with an evenness that suggested deeper matters of import were at play, "and more importantly for your Order, Naruto."
Hearing the name, Obi-Wan kept himself silent and looked at Jango Fett with suspicion. The unexpected mention of the name brought many thoughts crashing into him, and he remembered a few things while glaring at the bounty hunter.
"I thought I saw you enter here, bounty hunter." A grumpy voice entered the conversation.
Both the imprisoned Obi-Wan and Jango Fett faced the entrance that they did not hear going open and entering with his bodyguards, the Third was while walking on his own a small man with long gray hair flowed like wisps of smoke around his shoulders, framing a face etched with the weight of countless battles and the burden of leadership. Deep-set eyes glimmered with a fierce intensity, betraying a soul both ancient and wise, yet haunted by ghosts of the past.
By the looks of it, Jango could tell he was a seasoned warrior, but his attention soon shifted to the entourage that had helped him capture the Jedi. Their appearances were strikingly different from their leader's.
One member was a large, formidable man with piercing dark eyes and black hair spiking out from beneath a bandanna-style forehead protector. His prominent cheeks and plump nose lent him a perpetually jovial expression. He wore a red uniform beneath his flak jacket, complemented by a yellow scarf wrapped around his neck.
The other was a young woman, perhaps only slightly older than Naruto, with a confident smile. Her short black hair and unique pink eyes, accentuated by upward-curling eyelashes, made her stand out. She donned the standard Iwa shinobi attire: a red uniform with a missing right sleeve, a lapel over her right leg, the brown Iwagakure flak jacket, fishnet tights, and a skirt. She completed her look with regular shinobi sandals and a pair of black gloves.
"Well, well, well, if my old eyes aren't playing tricks on me," remarked the Third Tsuchikage with a grin, gazing up at the floating, captive Jedi. "It's been too long, Kenobi."
"It has indeed, Lord Onoki," Obi-Wan replied, maintaining a calm yet wary demeanor as he looked at the Shinobi. "I almost forgot about your appearance. Thank you for refreshing my mind."
"Always a pleasure, Jedi brat."
"I take it you two are acquainted?" Jango inquired, glancing between the two men. "Care to fill me in?"
"The Tsuchikage and I have previously attempted to negotiate the relationship between his Shinobi Village and the Republic, but those talks ultimately went nowhere," Obi-Wan said, glancing at the diminutive figure before him. With his usual touch of sarcasm, he added, "It's a pleasure to be in the presence of the esteemed Third Tsuchikage." His voice dripped with irony as he continued, "What brings you here? It can't be just a friendly visit, is it?"
"With your infamous sarcasm? Oh please, brat," Onoki smirked while looking at the imprisoned Jedi, "Even now with you in this situation, the tone alone makes me remember the tiresome hours of your wasteful efforts of talks of the Republic."
"As if it were our part to be wasteful, Lord Onoki." Obi-Wan responded and reminded him, "May I refresh your memories of how you made our delegation wait hours upon hours for your arrival?"
"Then that is your problem to figure it out, not Gramps." The black-haired shinobi girl smirked while crossing her arms, "That sounds like a clear message, you Republic weaklings aren't welcome."
The clear-cut, installing tone that the Kunoichi was making was enough for Jango to cause a smirk to pop up from the corner of his mouth for a short moment. Of course, he wasn't interested in any politics in this room, he could appreciate the banter.
"You've been following your grandfather's footsteps, Lady Kurotsuchi." Obi-Wan, however, did not like the tone and responded with a frown, "I do hope that by the time in your path to leadership for your village, you will pick up grace and such."
Kurotsuchi crossed her arms, her eyes blazing with indignation as memories of that fateful day resurfaced like a storm cloud loomed over the village.
"Oh, I learned one thing ever since your kind came to my village, Kenobi - as in you can eat Bantha fodder," she spat, her voice laced with bitterness. The chill in her tone seemed to echo the tension in the air as she studied the Jedi's stoic demeanor. "That's what I wished I could've said to you the moment you entered our village the first time, bastard." The words tumbled out of her mouth like daggers, sharp and pointed, each syllable dripping with contempt. Kurotsuchi stepped closer, punctuating her point with a fierce glare. "You Jedi play at being peacekeepers and such, but do you even understand the damage you've done with your mere presence?"
Kenobi held her gaze steadily, noting the intense disdain she had for him, which seemed more personal than he could comprehend. He attempted to remain diplomatic.
"I gather your anger toward me stems from your uncle and nephew's near kidnapping attempt-"
*CRACK!*
Kurotsuchi's boot slammed into the ground with such force that it fractured the earth beneath, causing a crack around them. Jango had to quickly regain his balance while the other Iwa nin stood solidly, observing as the kunoichi directed her fury at the Jedi.
"You're this close to having your neck snapped, Jedi," Kurotsuchi threatened, her eyes blazing with anger. "Unless you want me to execute you right now, I suggest you don't speak about them."
"Ease up, brat. There's no need for threats," Onoki remarked, taking a deliberate step closer while peering up at Obi-Wan with a shrewd gaze. "Not at this moment, anyway, because right now, he's quite useful to us."
Obi-Wan arched an inquisitive eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "In what way?"
"As bait," Onoki explained, a dry chuckle escaping his lips like a whispered secret. "We fully anticipate who will attempt to rescue you, and this situation presents a flawless chance to draw him out."
"Who exactly are you referring to?" Obi-Wan queried, a hint of suspicion lacing his tone.
"Uzumaki Naruto."
"ACHOO!"
Causing himself to be in the center of attention inside the Naboo ship, Naruto sneezed hard as it got both droids and the Senator and Jedi to be startled for a quick moment, gazing at the blond who sat among them.
"Oh my, bless you, young man." 3PO spoke first to the blond teenager, "By the sound of it, you must've contracted something."
"I'm fine," Naruto responded. he took it out from underneath his hood and cleaned his nose. "Perhaps it was the sand, it can get everywhere."
"Tell me about it," Anakin said in agreement while observing the nav computer and keeping the ship on course. He read, "We're close to Geonosis, just half an hour before we arrive."
"Okay, I'm going back then." Naruto said as he stood up and went to the back of the ship, "I'll prepare myself for when we get there."
"The weather of Geonosis is not cold." Padmé said while steering the ship, she asked, "What are you preparing for?"
"In case it gets worse," Naruto said, the hatch door closed before any more questions could be asked. Leaving the senator, the Jedi, and the two droids to themselves.
R2 began to make multiple beeps to the protocol droid, who understood every word of communication.
"Oh, of course, R2, it was expected of him to put up all that armor in that bag." C-3PO replied to him calmly, "It would be fully unwise to have dragged it along for no reason."
"Armor?" Padmé cocks her head to the droids, "What armor?"
"The Beskar armor, my lady. The amount Mister Uzumaki had carried inside alongside some scrolls from the Ninja planet."
*CLICK!*
As the final piece of armor clicked into place, a sense of readiness coursed through Naruto. He adjusted the cloak, letting it cascade down his back, its fabric heavy with a promise of concealment. The wind whispered against his armor, sending a shiver of anticipation through him.
He now wore the Mandalorian Beskar armor of his own - the red, black, and orange armor that was forged for him, with most of his armor in black, his shoulder, chest and knee armor mostly in black, he had orange and red lines painted on all of them, red to signify his clan color of the Uzumaki whirlpool and orange because it was his favorite color.
The helmet was similar to that of Jango, instead, it had a red and orange lining on the sides and around the visor, with the rest being all black, and the weaponry he carries, like the Vambraces on his wrists, with each having built-in modifications for close encounters.
As he finishes up, Naruto sighs as he looks to the mirror in the changing room and examines himself, with this armor, the insignia of the Uzumaki whirlpool on his chest plate, having never thought he'd go from a Genin with no large knowledge of his family to an last descendant of a clan that fought numerous conflicts carrying that symbol.
Conflicts he would fight also, bearing everything that was now buried in his mind.
Flashback
In that open field in DC, the acrid smell of spent blaster fire hung in the air, with the fighting having ended hours ago. Bodies of Ölüm fighters lay organised after being collected across the destroyed fertile ground, their faces frozen in eternal repose. The battle had been devastating - a victory nonetheless, but a costly one.
Naruto knelt beside Yasser's body, the old man's weathered face peaceful despite the violent end he had met. The elderly Ölüm volunteer was in a white cloth, which he was to be buried in according to his religious beliefs. The oldest fighter among their ranks had given his life in a country he was a stranger to
"You're going to be buried, old man, in your homeland, I promise you that," Naruto whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He spoke to the man whose face was at peace as he embraced it for eternity. "Thank you…"
The weight of loss pressed down on Naruto's shoulders as he gently brushed a stray lock of grey hair from Yasser's forehead. The man had often spoken of his village back home, of olive groves that stretched toward the horizon and children playing in dusty streets. Now he would return, but not as he had hoped.
"Sergeant." The voice came from behind him, respectful but firm.
Naruto didn't turn immediately, taking one more moment with the fallen warrior. Finally, he rose to his feet, joints protesting after kneeling for so long.
Sergeant Foley stood a few paces away, his Ranger uniform bearing the marks of recent combat. His face was etched with the same weariness they all shared, but his posture remained rigid with military discipline.
"We're ready to move him now," Foley said, gesturing toward a waiting transport vehicle. "Corporal Dunn and Ramirez will handle it with respect."
Naruto nodded, watching as the two Rangers approached. They moved with practiced precision but also a solemn reverence that transcended their military training. Dunn removed his helmet before carefully lifting the shrouded body by the shoulders while Ramirez took the feet.
"We've secured transport to his homeland," Foley continued, his voice lowered. "Full military escort"
Several other Rangers stood nearby, each offering a salute as Yasser's body passed. One young soldier with a fresh scar across his cheek whispered what sounded like a prayer.
"He saved many of us," the soldier said simply when he caught Naruto watching him. "You okay, son?"
"I'm just tired," Naruto replied, his voice barely audible over the distant thrum of helicopters. His eyes remained fixed on Yasser's body as it was loaded into the transport.
Foley stepped closer, placing a weathered hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Listen, you should leave now while you can," he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "There's going to be an arrest soon. Higher-ups are cracking down on all Ölüm volunteers."
Naruto's gaze snapped to Foley's face, searching for deception but finding only grim certainty.
"US forces are turning a blind eye for the next twelve hours," Foley continued. "After that..." He let the implication hang in the air between them.
"What about the others?" Naruto asked, glancing toward the remaining volunteers who were tending to their wounded or mourning their dead.
"Same deal for all of you. Word's spreading quietly." Foley checked his watch. "I never had this conversation with you, understood? But you fought alongside us when it mattered. Consider this payment of a debt."
The Rangers finished securing the transport, and Dunn approached, offering Naruto a small cloth bundle.
"Yasser's personal belongings," Dunn explained. "Thought his family might want them."
Naruto accepted the bundle, feeling the weight of the old man's few possessions – a worn prayer book, a tarnished pocket watch, and a small leather pouch containing soil from his homeland.
"Thank you," Naruto said, tucking the items carefully into his jacket.
In the distance, government vehicles were already arriving. Men in suits rather than uniforms, carrying clipboards instead of rifles.
"Clock's ticking," Foley murmured, stepping away and resuming his official posture. "Godspeed, Uzumaki."
Naruto stood alone in the field for a moment longer, the wind carrying away the last wisps of smoke from the battlefield. The decision before him was clear, yet heavy with the weight of all that had happened here.
He touched the cloth bundle in his pocket and made his choice.
"Good luck, son."
Flashback ends
After recollecting that memory, Naruto opened his eyes and looked back at himself in the mirror, and then pulled out his WESTAR-35 blasters and holstered them away before he grabbed his helmet.
"Naruto! We're arriving on Geonosis, prepare yourself for landing."
Hearing that over the intercom, Naruto sat down somewhere and prepared himself as he awaited the landing, as the senato's starship would enter the planet's orbit soon.
"You know I can sense you, right, Sasuke?"
A slight rustling of fabric came from the nearby dressing room before the door slid open. Sasuke stepped out, his dark hair contrasting sharply with the light-colored Jedi robes he wore. His hand rested casually on the lightsaber at his belt.
"If you knew I was here, why didn't you say anything sooner?" Sasuke asked, his voice carrying that familiar coolness Naruto remembered from their childhood. "I'm surprised you're giving a sober tone while talking to me."
Naruto shrugged, adjusting his Mandalorian vambrace. "Figured you'd come out when you were ready. Besides, I've known about your recruitment into the Jedi Order for months."
Sasuke's eyebrow raised slightly. "How? The Council has been discreet about new initiations-"
"Hinata told me," Naruto replied, with him not facing the Uchiha Jedi, busy checking his Vambrace. "When I was on Coruscant, she and I got into a brief moment of talking. Did you think she wouldn't mention running into you at the Temple?"
The ship jolted slightly as it entered Geonosis' atmosphere, the hull creaking under the pressure change. Sasuke steadied himself against the wall, his expression unchanging despite the turbulence.
"So," Naruto continued, securing his helmet under his arm, "We'll talk once we land on the planet, seeing you need to keep your presence unknown, it's the best for all of us."
Seeing how Naruto has grown, Sasuke decided to go along and nods as he watches Naruto go off through the open door and leave the Uchiha in the dressing room.
[Coruscant]
As it was late in the night, walking through the halls of the Galactic Senate, Mace Windu went up to join Grand Master Yoda as both Jedi began observing the emergency session that was called in upon the revelations on Geonosis, with representative Jar Jar Binks having the word given by the Chairman, addressing now the entire senate.
"It's-a clear desa separatists made a pact wesa desa Federation du trade…" Jar Jar Binks spoke to the senate as he was joined by one of Padmé's security detail, Captain Gregar Typho, as the Gungan continued to address, "Senators, dellow felagates: In response to this direct threat to the Republic…mesa propose that the senate give immediate emergency powers to the supreme Chancellor."
By this call, it was in a matter of mere seconds, joined by shouts of agreement and cheers from senators across the room. Surprisingly, even Jar Jar, who smiled seeing the support, was big among his peers who just moments ago would laugh at him.
"Palpatine! Palpatine!"
The shouts of agreement were overwhelming, many and invoked any dissendents or even doubters who stood there in silence, among those who sat silent was Jiraiya himself who just crossed his arms and observed all of this.
"Order!" Mas Amedda, the Chairman, called out firmly. "We shall have order!" His authoritative voice demanded attention. Next to him, Palpatine stood up to address the thousands of senators waiting for his response, responding to a request for power that didn't even require a vote at this point.
"It is with great reluctance that I have agreed upon this calling…" Palpatine spoke somberly on this request, "I love democracy, I love the Republic. The power you give me, I will lay down when this crisis is abated."
Briefly joined by clapping from the senators, Palpatine resumed, again with a few exceptions like Jiraiya, who stood out, among also Lady Chiyo who sat there by herself like the Sannin.
"And as my first act with this new authority…I will create a grand army of the Republic to counter the increasing threats of the separatists."
Once the short but affirmative speech was concluded, the Jedi who were observing it were then making their conclusions, with Windu turning to the Grand Master.
"It is done."
Yoda grunted in response, having witnessed the whole beginning, he said no word as Windu stood back up.
"I will take what Jedi we have left and go to Geonosis and help Obi-Wan."
"Visit I will the cloners on Kamino," Yoda said what his plan was, "and see this army they have created for the Republic."
As Mace Windu nodded in agreement, the atmosphere in the chamber shifted. The buzz of excitement thrummed like a distant storm, rippling through the assembled senators. Palpatine, with a practiced ease, turned back to address them once more. Palpatine raised his hand, silencing the renewed applause. His face, illuminated by the chamber's blue glow, appeared grave yet resolute.
"Furthermore," he continued, his voice carrying effortlessly through the vast rotunda, "based on the comprehensive evidence presented in the Kessel Committee reports, I hereby decree that the abolitionist group known as Ölüm shall be designated as a terrorist organization across all Republic territories."
A murmur rippled through the Senate chamber. Several representatives from the Outer Rim territories nodded in agreement, while others exchanged concerned glances.
"Their actions against legitimate business interests and Republic citizens can no longer be tolerated, despite their beliefs of being abolitionists; terrorism has no say in a democracy." Palpatine's voice hardened. "This designation will enable our security forces to act decisively against this threat."
Mace Windu's brow furrowed deeply. He leaned toward Yoda, keeping his voice low. Protesting on this.
"This is an overreach. The Ölüm have committed unspeakable acts, yes, but their cause—"
"Complicated, this matter is," Yoda interrupted, his ancient eyes narrowing. "Against slavery they stand, but violent their methods have become. Yet timing of this decree, suspicious it is."
"The Council advised against this specific action," Windu responded, his displeasure evident. "This will only inflame tensions in regions where the Ölüm have popular support, let alone this will make any effort of dismantling them through peaceful means be for nothing."
Below them, Jiraiya shifted in his seat, his expression darkening as he watched several senators from worlds with questionable labor practices applaud enthusiastically. Lady Chiyo remained motionless, though her eyes had narrowed to slits.
Palpatine spread his arms wide, his voice rising with practiced emotion. "Let it be known that the Republic stands firmly against all who would use violence to destabilize our great democracy. We shall have security. We shall have peace."
The chamber erupted in thunderous approval, drowning out any possibility of dissent. The die was cast—both for war and for a new, more stringent definition of who constituted an enemy of the Republic.
"Too easily they give away liberty," Yoda murmured, almost to himself. "Too eagerly they embrace fear."
Windu nodded grimly, already turning to leave. "We must move quickly. I sense darker currents at work here than mere politics."
[Geonosis]
Upon touching down on the rugged terrain of Geonosis, the ship's landing gear settled with a low thud against the rocky surface. Anakin and Padmé scanned the landscape, locating a discreet landing spot nestled between a cluster of jagged rocks, not far from the coordinates where they believed Obi-Wan last reported his position.
As the engines hummed to a halt, a tense silence enveloped the cockpit. Anakin deftly shut down the controls while Padmé adjusted herself, her expression a mix of determination and concern. Just then, Naruto entered the cockpit, his dark cloak swirling around him like a shadow, effectively concealing his intricate armor beneath. He keenly observed the senator and the Jedi, noticing their readiness and resolve as they prepared to venture into the unknown dangers that awaited them on the planet's surface.
"You guys ready?" Naruto asked, his voice steady and confident, while he discreetly held his helmet beneath his cloak, concealing it from view. "Because I am."
"Good, me too," Padmé responded, rising gracefully from her seat. She reached for her elegant white cloak, draping it over her shoulders with practiced ease, the fabric settling smoothly over her form. A blaster, sleek and formidable, rested securely on her hip. "Let's go."
"Hey," Anakin turned his head sharply towards her, concern etched across his features, "What are you doing?"
"To find Obi-Wan," Padmé replied with a determined glint in her eyes, "Why?"
Anakin swiftly got up, crossing the short distance to her, "No! You're not!" His hand reached for her arm, gripping it with urgency.
"Let go of me!" Padmé retorted, her voice firm as she pulled her arm free from his grasp with a decisive yank.
"I'm not letting you go out there." Anakin insisted, his tone edged, "It's too dangerous."
"What?!" Padmé exclaimed, her voice rising in disbelief and defiance.
"It's my job to protect you. I said it's too dangerous." Anakin declared, his words final and unwavering, "You're not going, and that's final!"
"Don't you give me orders, Annie!" Padmé shot back, her voice a blend of authority and indignation. "I'm a Senator of the Galactic Republic. You have no authority to contain me, restrain me, or direct me! You remember your place, young man." Her eyes bore into his, unyielding in their resolve. "Now you can come along and protect me, or stay here. It's up to you." With that, Padmé turned on her heel and strode out of the cockpit of the Naboo Starfighter, her cloak billowing behind her like a banner of defiance.
Left in the wake of her departure, the two young men stood in silence. Naruto, feeling the tension in the air, shifted uncomfortably. He watched as Anakin, his expression a mixture of frustration and determination, hurried after her with quick, decisive steps. Leaving the blond by himself and the two droids.
R2 made a series of beeps and said something only the protocol droid understood.
"Yes, it is, R2. Most confusing. One moment they're generating a pleasant mutual attraction, and the next, waves of violent hostility. Even though I'm programmed to understand them, I doubt if I ever shall."
"That's because they're in love," Naruto said to the droid.
The protocol droid's head swiveled toward him with mechanical precision. "I beg your pardon, sir? Love? But they were just engaged in what humans call an 'argument.' My programming indicates that such hostility is contradictory to affection."
R2-D2 whistled a series of confused beeps.
"Yeah, well, that's exactly how you know," Naruto replied, finding himself explaining to a droid. "All that tension between them? The way they can't help but push each other's buttons? Classic signs."
"Most peculiar," C-3PO responded, his metallic voice somehow conveying genuine bewilderment. "My databanks contain extensive information on human courtship rituals, but such contradictory behavior seems most inefficient."
Wanting to answer, Naruto then wonders to himself why he was explaining human relationships to droids before he groans and walks off to the ramp, saying.
"Droids…"