836Naruto: Maelstrom Part II
Blanket disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Star Wars
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This chapter is the beginning of Maelstrom Part II and features a time skip of five years since Part I. I was originally going to write it as a separate story but eventually I decided to simply continue the original. Here is Chapter 23. Enjoy!
AUTHOR'S NOTE II:
Here is an updated list of character ages as of the beginning pf Part II.
Ages of Characters: Year Born BBY/Age at 15 BBY
Ki-Adi-Mundi, Born, 92 BBY/77 Years old
Sheev Palpatine, Born, 84 BBY/69 Years old
Mace Windu, Born, 72 BBY/57 Years old
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Born, 57 BBY/42 Years old
Bultar Swan, Born, 55 BBY/40 Years old (Estimated)
Maul, Born, 54 BBY/39 Years old
Asajj Ventress, Born 50 BBY/35 Years old
Shaak TI, Born, 48 BBY/33 Years old
Padmė Amidala-Uzumaki, Born: 46 BBY/31 Years old
Naruto Uzumaki, Born, 44 BBY/29 Years old
Shior Atlee, Born. 43 BBY/28 Years old
Riyo Chuchi-Skywalker, Born, 42 BBY/27 Years old (Estimated)
Anakin Skywalker, Born, 41 BBY/26 Years old
Barriss Offee, Born: 40 BBY/25 Years old
Ahsoka Tano, Born, 36 BBY/21 Years old
Han (Solo), Born, 32 BBY/17 Years old
Qi'ra Born. 31 BBY/16 Years old
Gungi, Born, 28 BBY/13 Years old
Natasi Roche-Uzumaki, Born: 25 BBY/10 Years old
Luke Uzumaki, Born 18 BBY/3 Years old
Leia Uzumaki, Born 18 BBY/3 Years old
…
{ } Signifies an alien language
…
Last time:
20 BBY
Grand Jedi Temple, Master Naruto Uzumaki's Quarters
Naruto was watching the holovideo feed of Dooku's trial and thought, 'Well, I agree with Dooku on one point. Reforms are in order. I want Natasi and her future siblings to grow up in a time of peace, not with another war on the horizon…and of course without Darth Sidious.'
The blonde had been one of those informed about the existence of Exegol and he remembered reading about it as a padawan under his Master Jiraiya. Master Uzumaki recalled it by the old name of Ixigul as written in the Rammahgon as a world like Korriban, Ziost and Asog that had been a fertile world that was laid to waist by the Sith establishing their presence there.
Casting those thoughts aside, Naruto decided to take his little family and enjoy the peace celebrations. It had been a long war…
…
Chapter 23
Year 15 BBY
Core Worlds, Corusca Sector, Planet Coruscant
It had been five years since the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious (otherwise known as Sheev Palpatine) had vanished from the Galactic Republic. Many reforms had been made by Supreme Chancellor Bail Organa and the Senate but there was still unrest. Though the Clone Wars were over, a great deal of work was still left to be done. A lot of pockets of stiff resistance remained and when peaceful negotiations failed It was often put in the hands of the Republic Army and Naval forces.
Usually, it was considered a last resort as the Knights of the Jedi Order had once again taken up their role as peacekeepers across the galaxy…
…
Grand Jedi Temple, Jedi High Council Chambers
Jedi Grandmaster Yoda was speaking to Jedi Master Naruto Uzumaki and his daughter Natasi. "Teach her about the ways of chakra, you must. Unusual it is but Natasi Roche-Uzumaki, your padawan learner must become. A splendid Jedi Knight, your first padawan, Master Barriss Offee has developed into. Her own padawan, she has been assigned."
Natasi was delighted but Naruto was a bit shocked, "As unorthodox as it seems, I accept my daughter as my full padawan learner." He turned to the lilac haired girl and said, "Natasi, while we are on duty, I'll need you to address me as Master rather than Daddy. It's for your protection in case we are separated. Do you understand?"
Natasi nodded eagerly, "Yes Master Naruto, I understand completely. I'll just use the surname Roche while we are on missions." The two whisker marked Renatasians nodded to each other.
Master Yoda said, "To Coronet City*① on Corellia, you must go. A trail to a missing Jedi holocron has surfaced. Too long have the Jedi ignored the situation. Find this item, you must."
Naruto looked a bit nonplussed "So I'm taking my daughter out to play in the streets of Corellia…"
"Alone you will not go." said Yoda. "Joining you, your former padawan Barriss Offee and her own apprentice will be." The Grandmaster motioned to the side and Barriss entered with her padawan learner, Natasi's Wookiee friend Gungi.
The young Wookiee eagerly greeted his partner in crime in his native tongue of Shyriiwook {"Natasi, it is great to see you! It's been almost a year since we got to team up on planet Ilum*②."} He motioned towards his green bladed, Brylark wood*③ hilted light saber that he had constructed there.
She smiled and patted her orange bladed light saber that was modeled on her Father's blade and said, {"It's great to see you too, Gungi. We'll knock them dead!"}
"Ohoho!" laughed Yoda. "The exuberance of youth. Full, your hands will be Masters…"
…
Jedi Master Naruto Uzumaki's Quarters
Naruto and Natasi came home to the rest of their family, Padmė Amidala-Uzumaki and the three-year-old whisker marked twins, Luke and Leia Uzumaki*④. Padmė worked at her Senatorial Offices during the day but stayed with her husband and family in the evenings. Likewise, the twins stayed in the Jedi Creche in the day and stayed with their parents at night.
"Daddy! Natasi!" chorused the twins as the Master and apprentice came home.
Padmė smiled and exchanged hugs and kisses with her eldest daughter and husband. "Welcome home." said the beautiful Senator.
The blonde Jedi eagerly returned his wife's kiss and said, "Natasi has been assigned to be my full time padawan apprentice so I can teach her about chakra."
"That's wonderful!" said Padmė excitedly. "I knew you were both concerned about that. Now you can teach Natasi properly."
"It also means Natasi is going to be coming on missions with me..." said Naruto.
The lilac haired girl said brightly, "Don't worry Mama, I'll keep Daddy safe."
"I want you to both come home safely to me." said Padmė seriously. "Do you already have a mission?"
Naruto nodded. "We're going to the lower levels of Coronet City on Corellia to find a missing Jedi holocron. It should be simple enough."
"It's not a safe place for children though…" said Padmė worriedly.
He kissed her forehead, "Natasi is well trained. Besides, I will be there."
"Do you foresee anything?" asked the Senator.
Naruto shook his head. "Right now, I sense there will be minor conflict. That is to be expected with all the gangs running around."
Padmė cupped his cheek. "Just be careful and watch over Natasi. I could see her getting into all kinds of mischief. She takes a lot after her Father you know."
The blonde laughed. "Am I that bad?" The Senator just smiled and nodded…
…
The next morning Naruto was lying in Padmė's arms feeling the afterglow of their lovemaking the previous night. He felt peaceful holding his wife and didn't want to leave.
Alas, the alarm went off signaling the beginning of a new day and the Senator stirred with a groan. She cracked open one eye and said, "I don't want to get up Naruto…"
Naruto's blue eyes opened, and he said, "I don't either my love. Unfortunately, duty calls." It wasn't long before the couple was up and dressed. Natasi was already up, and Naruto kissed Padmė and the sleeping twins goodbye before heading down to the entry level of the Jedi Temple to meet up with Barriss and Gungi.
…
Grand Jedi Temple, Hanger Level
Naruto looked at the brand-new Lambda Class T-4a shuttle*⑤ and whistled. "So, this is the new T-4a shuttle used by the Republic. It's a bit overkill for our purposes."
"I think it's wizard!" said Natasi excitedly. "I can't wait to pilot it!" she added as she dashed over to the shuttle.
Naruto was shaking his head at his daughter's enthusiasm when Barriss and Gungi arrived "Master Naruto, I see you are early." said the Mirialan. "Checking over the new shuttle?" she asked.
The blonde smiled at his former apprentice. "Natasi is. She's already inside it."
Gungi trotted up and bowed to Naruto and Barriss, {Greetings Masters, where is Natasi?}
"She's already examining the shuttle Gungi." replied Barriss. "You may join her if you wish."
{Thank you Master!} replied the excited Wookiee padawan.
Nodding to Gungi as he sped over to the shuttle, Barriss turned back to Naruto and said, "Hopefully they'll never have to see a war. I know I could have done without the experience."
"…And yet you were promoted to a full Jedi General with honors before the war ended Master Barriss Offee." said Master Luminara Unduli as she walked up.
"Master Luminara!" said Barriss. "It is so good to see you."
Luminara smiled. "I heard the pair of you are going on your first mission with your new padawans. I came to wish you the best of luck. Children can be a handful."
Naruto said weakly. "Indeed, they can."
"You should know from experience, Master Uzumaki." said Luminara humorously. "May the Force be with you."
"And you Master Unduli." said Barriss with a bow. Bidding her former Master farewell, she turned to Naruto and said, "Are children really that bad?"
Then the pair heard Natasi and Gungi howling with laughter from over in the shuttle and Naruto said, "Yes Barriss, yes they are. Let's go see what mischief our two rambunctious padawans are up to, shall we?"
…
Core Worlds, Corellian Sector, Planet Corellia
The Jedi T-4a shuttle arrived at Coronet City mere hours after leaving Coruscant. Naruto led the quartet of Jedi down to the information dealer they were informed knew about the whereabouts of the missing holocron.
Entering the shadier part of town, the blonde said to the others, "Keep your identities as Jedi hidden or the gangs will scatter like frightened animals. I'll talk to this information dealer about the holocron." They soon found the info dealer, a human named Drummond that had the information they needed…
Naruto entered the seedy bar that Drummond did business in and approached the man. Keeping his hood up to hide his face, Naruto said to Drummond, "I'm looking for this item." as he showed a small holographic image of the holocron.
Drummond said, "5,000 Republic credits is my finder's fee."
Naruto haggled with the man a bit and eventually they settled on 3,500 credits. Drummond finished counting his credits and said, "It's in the hands of a gang called the Rippers on the East End under the conveyer belts for ship manufacturing."
The Renatasian Jedi Master thanked Drummond and went on his way to meet the others…
…
Den OF The White Worms
Lady Proxima, a female Grindalid*⑥ crime boss who ruled over the notorious White Worms Gang was speaking to her male Grandalid enforcer Moloch about what two of their scrumrats*⑦, Han and Qi'ra had found out. "The item is a Jedi holocron you say?" she asked Moloch. "It would be worth a fortune if we ransomed it out to the Jedi Order. It's hard to believe Han and Qi'ra managed to find out about it from the Ripper Gang. We must obtain it from the Rippers. Have the pair of them retrieve it."
Moloch soon went down to Han and Qi'ra's quarters where the pair of teenaged lovers lived and said in his native tongue, {"Lady Proxima wants the item you found out the Rippers have. If you two obtain it and you shall be rewarded, if you do not bring it back, she will be… disappointed."}
Qi'ra and Han both dreaded going into the Ripper's home turf but the prospects of being punished by Lady Proxima were just as bad. Han smiled weakly at Moloch and said, "We'll do Lady Proxima says of course."
{"You had better Han, Lady Proxima is growing weary of your rebellious streak"} replied Moloch…
…
"What are we going to do Han?!" asked Qi'ra. "Those Rippers could kill us!"
Han smirked, "Whatever it is must be incredibly valuable if Proxima wants it that bad. I think it could be our ticket out of here."
…
East End, The Rippers' Enclave
Jedi Masters Naruto Uzumaki and Barriss Offee were neither one too keen about entering a gang hideout and endangering their padawans on their first mission.
Barriss said, "Gungi, Natasi; Master Naruto and I want you two to stay out here and guard the exit. Watch over things while we negotiate. If you see them try to get away with the holocron then capture it from the Rippers. We can't afford to let them escape with it."
Natasi looked disappointed at being let behind but she and Gungi both acquiesced to their Masters' wishes. "We will wait here then." said the lilac haired padawan.
"Good." said Naruto approvingly. "Stay out of trouble but keep your guard up just in case." Then the two Master Jedi entered the Ripper's Enclave…
…
Inside…
Naruto and Barriss slipped into the enclave silently and found a guard who Naruto used the Jedi mind trick on. "We are your boss's honored guests. Lead us to them."
The mind muddled guard said in a dazed voice, "Yes of course, you are honored guests…"
The guard led them through the labyrinth like enclave until they met a Hutt named Lord Chazo who unsurprisingly spoke to them in Huttese. {"I am Lord Chazo Jedi knights…what do you want here? Your mind tricks won't work on me."}
The blonde was straight to the point and showed a hologram of the Jedi holocron. "You have this item in your possession. It was stolen from the Jedi Order many years ago and we have come to bargain for it. I'm sure we can work out something equitable for all parties concerned."
Lord Chazo was shocked. {"That octahedron belongs to the Jedi Order?"} He began to chuckle. {"What is it worth to you Jedi?"}
Naruto smiled and his eyes lit up with chakra. He said in a bone chilling voice, "Enough to erase the Rippers from the face of Corellia, leaving you with nothing Lord Chazo."
{"Are you threatening me?"} asked Chazo fearfully.
"I wouldn't dream of it." replied the blonde. "I am simply explaining the consequences of your actions if you prove to be uncooperative. I realize you value your assets far more than your life. Being left destitute would make you a laughingstock among the Hutt Clans."
Lord Chazo was angry. {'This Jedi knows the ways of the Hutts. He is dangerous.'} he thought. The Hutt Lord turned to one of his lieutenants and said, {"Retrieve the octahedron while I negotiate an… equitable price with this Master Jedi."}
…
Deeper Within the Enclave
Han and Qi'ra were sweating as they looked for the item they'd come to steal. "Where the hell is that thing hidden?" whispered Han sweating. However, Han's legendary luck held out when Lord Chazo's lieutenant came out of a hidden passage holding the holocron on a cushion to present to his Lord. He never saw Han or Qi'ra as the pair clubbed him from behind…
…
Lord Chazo's Chambers
Chazo was getting nervous. His lieutenant should had been back twenty minutes ago… and the blonde Jedi was giving the Hutt the chills. That's when his mangled lieutenant came stumbling in and croaked, "Lord Chazo, the item; it was stolen when I stepped out of the chamber…!"
Everything exploded at once and Lord Chazo roared, {"Kill the Jedi and get that octahedron back!"}
Blaster fire erupted everywhere as Naruto and Barriss ignited their light sabers in an instant. Naruto smiled and said, "Oh well, negotiations were getting boring anyway."
Barriss shook her head and said, "You're as incorrigible as ever Master."
…
Outside…
Natasi and Gungi were getting bored when they saw the two rogue White Worms escaping with the Jedi holocron in hand. Blaster fire was everywhere. Natasi smiled ferally at her partner and said {"Gungi, it looks like we have a pair of holocron thieves to catch!"}
Gungi grinned back. {"Let's get going then!"}
The two padawans raced along at Jedi speeds until they caught up with Han and Qi'ra who were in the process of hotwiring a landspeeder "Come on, come on!" said Han as the speeder lit up. He smiled at Qi'ra before a hail of blaster fire from the Rippers came their way… only to be blocked by two padawan's lightsabers…
Gungi and Natasi leapt on the back of the speeder and Natasi said, "Go! We'll deflect the blaster shots."
Han said, "Wha-?"
Qi'ra yelled, "Just drive, Han!"
Han shifted the accelerator forward and the stolen speeder took off with a roar. Gungi slid down into the back seat while Natasi stood on the back of the speeder with chakra and kept deflecting blaster shots back at their pursuers. Gungi said, {"That little trinket you have stolen their belongs to the Jedi Order. I'm sure they will reward you handsomely if you return it to them."}
"What are you two?" asked Han as he took a sharp turn.
Natasi laughed and said, "We are Jedi of course!"
Han could speak Shyrilwook (though he sounded ridiculous when he did) and understood Gungi perfectly. He said to Qi'ra, "The thing we stole belongs to the Jedi. Our Wookiee friend here says they'll reward us if we return it to them."
"Can we trust them?" asked Qi'ra. Seeing Gungi deflect a blaster bolt that likely would have hit her with his green light saber, she said, "On second thought, I think we can trust them."
"Head for the Coronet City spaceport then." yelled Natasi over the roar of the engines. "We have a shuttle there. You two obviously aren't safe here on Corellia."
…
The Rippers' Enclave
Naruto and Barriss walked out of the smoking Enclave unscathed but found their padawans were missing. The pair looked at each other with a sweat drop before reaching out through the Force to find their wayward apprentices. Sensing they youngsters were alright, Barriss got out her comm link and asked, "Gungi, where are you two?"
The comm link crackled and Gungi replied, {"We're headed towards the spaceport in a borrowed landspeeder. We have the holocron and the two thieves that stole it."} Then Naruto and Barriss heard a roar and blaster fire over the link.
Barriss's eye twitched. "What exactly is going on and why do I hear blaster fire?"
The Wookiee padawan said, {"Ummm… We are kind of being pursued by angry members of the Rippers in another two speeders. They are firing at us, but Natasi is deflecting their shots back at them."}
"What about you Gungi?" asked the Mirialan Jedi Master. "What are you doing if Natasi is deflecting blaster bolts?!"
{"I'm guiding the thief-err, speeder's driver through traffic."} replied Gungi. {"That way we can avoid having a collision."}
"Very well, Master Naruto and I will meet you at the shuttle." said Bariss. "You and Natasi be careful Gungi."
{"Yes Master Barriss."} answered the young Wookiee before he signed off.
…
Coronet City Spaceport
Han made a sharp turn to the right at Gungi's instructions. One of the pursuing speeders couldn't make the turn and lumbered into the other taking both trailing speeders out. Han an Qi'ra cheered as they left their opponents in the dust on the roadway. They soon came to the gates at the spaceport where Gungi and Natasi showed their passes and the lilac haired girl said, "These two are with us, Jedi business."
Han and Qi'ra were both afraid as the security guards checked Natasi's pass and finally said, "Your identities are confirmed Jedi, you may pass but his speeder isn't registered. We will provide you with a security transport to your shuttle."
Natasi nodded. "Excellent, we are at docking bay one-hundred-six."
…
The group of four soon arrived at docking bay one-hundred-six where the Jedi's gleaming white and red trimmed Lambda-Class T-4a shuttle was parked. Gungi lowered the boarding ramp and said, {"Let's get aboard and wait for our Masters,"}
"Your masters?" asked Han.
"We are padawan learners." explained Natasi. Seeing the lost looks on the two thieves faces she added, "We are apprentice Jedi Knights."
"So that's why you look so young." said Qi'ra. "I'm Qi'ra and this is my boyfriend, Han."
The two padawans bowed to them formally. "I am Natasi Roche, and this is my good friend Gungi."
…
About an hour later, the two Jedi Masters arrived at a more sedate pace. They had both seen the impounded speeder that the kids had stolen and saw it was scorched here and there with blaster bolt marks. "…It seems they had an adventure." said Naruto with a sweat drop.
"Somehow I just knew something like this would happen." said Barriss.
The blonde smiled. "As Master Luminara pointed out, children can be a handful. The main thing is making sure they are uninjured."
The Mirialan Jedi Master sighed. "Yes, their safety is paramount."
As Naruto and Barriss boarded the shuttle they were eagerly greeted by their padawans. {"Masters, welcome back! You wouldn't believe what happened!"} said Gungi.
"Actually, we probably would…" said Naruto humorously as he thought about his own childhood adventures with Jiraiya…
The two padawans were soon describing their adventure with Han and Qi'ra and introduced the two (former) White Worms to their Masters.
…
The flight off Corellia was uneventful for the four Jedi and their two guests. Barriss asked Han and Qi'ra, "So you to served this Lady Proxima as 'scrumrats' since early childhood?"
Qi'ra nodded and said, "We've wanted to escape for years. We want to get a ship and see the stars."
"Perhaps the Jedi Order can help you two get resettled on Coruscant and you can buy a ship eventually." said Naruto. 'These two kids have had it rough.'
Han held up the holocron and asked, "Just how much is this thing worth to the Jedi Order?"
Naruto levitated it away from Han's grasp and it landed in his own much to the Corellian teen's shock. The blonde asked rhetorically, "What is knowledge worth Han? It might as well be an inert lump of metal to an average person but to a force sensitive being it could be rare and precious."
The blonde Renatasian examined the holocron carefully and said, "Assuming it is intact, it was created about 1,000 years ago during the Jedi-Sith Wars that ended on Planet Ruusan. I don't know what Master created it. It could be a simple history or contain unknown force techniques. Until the Jedi Archives examines it in detail, I guess we'll never know."
Then Naruto saw a mark on the holocron revealing who created it. His blue eyes widened in shock and he said, "By the ancients…!"
"What is it, Master?" asked Natasi curiously.
Naruto said in awe, "It bears the markings of Jedi Lord Hoth*⑧!"
…
Planet Coruscant, Grand Jedi Temple, Jedi High Council Chambers
Naruto held out the holocron before the Jedi Council and said irritably, "This holocron bears all the markings of Lord Hoth. If this is genuine, it is priceless! Why was I not informed? Surely the Council knew."
Mace Windu replied, "Master Uzumaki, no one has ever been able to unlock the secrets of that holocron. The fact it has resurfaced alone is of significance."
"What do you mean Master Windu?" asked Naruto puzzled.
"Long was it suspected to be Lord Hoth's but never proven." said Grandmaster Yoda. "Went missing over two hundred years ago, it did. The thief was caught, but the holocron never recovered."
Ki-Adi-Mundi added, "The stuff of prophesy revolves around that holocron. It is said that the one who recognizes it is the one who shall unlock its secrets."
"That's an odd bit of prophesy considering anyone could read these marks with a translator droid." said Naruto.
Yoda held out his hand and asked, "The holocron please Master Naruto?"
"Of course, Master." said Naruto as he handed over the octahedron.
Yoda examined the holocron carefully and said, "I see no marks."
Obi-wan Kenobi looked a bit shocked and said, "Grandmaster Yoda, I don't understand."
Yoda smiled and levitated the holocron over to Kenobi. "Look yourself Obi-wan. I see no marks, readable or otherwise."
The entire council examined the holocron and none of them could see a thing. Yoda chuckled. "Very mysterious indeed that only Master Uzumaki can see markings when the rest of us cannot. Leave this item in your capable hands we will Naruto."
The blonde's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Shouldn't this go to the archives for study?"
Master Windu said, "Why don't you study it yourself for a bit? See what you can puzzle out before turning it over to the archives."
The entire Council nodded in agreement and the blonde Renatasian sweat dropped. "I will do what I can Masters."
…
POSTSCRIPT:
*①: Coronet City: The Capitol City of the Planet Corellia also known as Corellia City. Many dignitaries are in the city at any given time which is why fierce political fighting out of greed and a lust for power are commonplace, opening up a market for bodyguard agencies. Assassinations occur from time to time and gangs were common.
*②: Planet Ilum: is a planet with a kyber crystal core that they use to make light sabers. It is considered a sacred place to the Jedi Order.
*③: Brylark wood: It is sometimes used for light saber hilts as the wood of the Brylark tree is considered strong as metal.
*④: I made the twins two years younger but stuck with the names since Padmė picked them out in canon.
*⑤: Lambda Class T-4a shuttle: is a multi-purpose transport with a trihedral foil design used by the Republic after the Clone Wars. It was developed by Republic Sienar Systems. See Wookieepedia.
*⑥: Grindalids: They are a worm -like sentient species native to Persis IX, an Expansion Region planet with a dense atmosphere that blocks out sunlight. Grindalids have photosensitive skin that causes them to burn when exposed to sunlight. See Wookieepedia.
*⑦: Scrumrats: The phrase refers to children that were taken in by gangs on Corellia. They did the gang's criminal bidding in exchange for food and shelter.
*⑧: Lord Hoth, born Rohlan, was a male human and a famous Jedi Master and Lord who led the Army of Light during the New Sith Wars until their final confrontation in the Ruusan Campaign.
This chapter was just a nice transition into Part II. Han an Qi'ra are mainly cameo characters in this story, but I wanted to give them a fresh start in this tale even if it is from the source film *cringe*Solo*cringe*. Whether or not I make them recurring background characters is arguable at this point.
For those of you waiting for the next chapter of Trapped Under Ice, it is about 1/3rd done so be patient. See you next time. Blue out. 1/26/23