A New Path In The Force (CH 15)

A/N: This story is rated M for mature content not suitable for children.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Chapter 15: Battle Begins.

Mandalore [Royal Palace]

Naruto, Talon, Ventress, and Ashoka sat across from Satine and Bo-Katan Kryze in a meeting room that basically only had a table and chairs in it with no windows.

Satine, the ruler of the peaceful faction of Mandalore, is a human with pale skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. Her younger sibling, Bo-katan, is also a human with light skin, red hair, and green eyes.

Bo-Katan wore the traditional Mandalorian armor minus the helmet, while Satine was dressed like a noble or representative of the Republic. Both women were beautiful in their own way.

Satine looked like a refined high-class lady, while Bo-katan looked like a badass warrior woman. Usually, a womanizer like Naruto would love being in the presence of both women, if it wasn't for the fact that he had some history with Bo-katan.

The red-haired human female was currently giving Naruto a heated look, while Satine looked amused at the whole situation. The ruler of the peaceful Mandalorian faction knew why her sister was angry, but she couldn't help but giggle, which got her a scowl from her sister.

"Why are you here?" Bo-Katan asked harshly, her eyes never leaving Naruto, who looked back at her nervously.

Naruto knew that he had to be careful about how he answered Bo-Katan, but at the same time, if he was not honest, she would lash out, so he decided to be blunt.

"I came here to see if you still have any contacts with Death Watch," Naruto replied, getting straight to the point. "I am sure you can get in contact with them. I need to infiltrate their organization to find out if they are affiliated with someone (Sith Lord aka Darth Sidious) who is a threat to the Republic and the galaxy as a whole."

Satine lost the playful aura around her and now looked every bit the ruler she was. Bo-Katan tensed her once angry face, now expressionless. Both women gave the blonde their full attention now.

"Why would you think my sister can help you get in contact with Death Watch?" Satine asked, not looking at Bo-Katan, but wanting to know if Naruto was saying her sister betrayed her.

"Before I brought Bo-Katan back here, she was approached by Death Watch. They offered her a chance to join them, but as you know, she was in no condition to do so at the time, even if she agreed with their philosophies," Naruto replied honestly, making those like Ashoka and Ventress, who were not long interested in his relationship with Bo-Katan, wonder.

"You both didn't tell me this fact because you thought I would reject taking my sister in if I had known," Satine concluded on her own, getting a nod from Naruto.

"Yes, that is exactly it. It was my idea for Bo-Katan to return here. She may not agree with how you are running Mandalore, but in the end, you are both sisters. So, at least you two can find a common ground to cooperate," Naruto said, looking at the two sisters.

"Master, what condition was Bo-Katan in that she had to come back to Mandalore, and what relationship do you have with her?" Ashoka asked impatiently, her curiosity was killing her, along with a hint of jealousy at how close the blonde male seemed to be with the red-haired human in the past.

"So you are curious about that, well to put it simply I used to travel with the blonde-haired bastard until he knocked me up and then abandoned me and his child here with my sister," Bo-Katan said with a smile that was anything but happy. "You should be careful too, or he might do the same to you."

Flashback Scene Ahead

Elemental Nation [Otsutsuki Moon Base]

Naruto and Hinata were now heading for Toneri, or to be more accurate, he was heading for them. They were going to confront the Otsutsuki, while Shikamaru and the rest were going to try to disable or destroy the weapon, aka, all the stored eyes of his clan, which Toneri was going to use to attack Earth.

"Hinata, when Toneri gets here, I want you to stay out of the way until you see a chance to attack him when I weaken him enough," Naruto said in a serious voice.

Hinata gave the blonde a sad nod. The Hyuga knew that she wasn't strong enough to be of any help in fighting Toneri, but she hoped that Naruto would at least want to team up with her in the coming battle. But in the end, she was only going to get in his way, it seemed, so he gave her the minimum to do.

"It's not that I don't believe that you are strong or anything, but Toneri will be focusing most of his animosity on me since he will see me as the bigger threat. If you don't attack, he might forget about you, and we can use that to our advantage for a sneak attack," Naruto said gently. He had seen Hinata's face fall, so he decided to explain his plan further.

Hinata's mood brightened as her first love explained his plan. She felt a little happy that he didn't think she was useless.

The two traveled in silence until they came across the Otsutsuki himself, and he didn't look happy seeing Hinata freed from his control or the vermin that had invaded his home.

"You filthy human, how dare you step foot in the holy place," Toneri said with venom in his voice.

"I am here to stop you. If your ancestor was here, he would be disappointed in what you are attempting to do," Naruto said as he got ready to battle. He moved away from Hinata and closer to Toneri.

"Silence, human. You and your kind only kill and destroy. That's all you're good for, but no more. I will cleanse the planet," Toneri said. Naruto noted madness in his stolen eyes, whether from the original owner or the Otsutsuki. If Uzumaki had to bet, he'd say the men across from him had lost it.

"You are right, we have nothing further to talk about," Naruto said, getting ready for battle. Hinata looked on, worried, from the sidelines.

Flashback Scene End

Mandalore [Royal Palace]

"You have a kid," Ashoka exclaimed in shock. She never expected her Master, who was for the most part a playful free spirit, to have a child. But then again, with him being a man whore, it was more than possible he had some wild oats from his many flings.

"Yes, he does, little Jedi, and he has not come to see her or contact her in years," Bo-Katan said angrily. "Give me one good reason I should help you."

"We both know I stayed away to keep the secret of our daughter's existence as quiet as possible," Naruto said calmly. He was the first to admit that he was not a constant presence in their daughter's life, but that was for her own protection. "And why you should help me? That's easy. As long as the Death Watch exists, they are a threat to this new peaceful form of Mandalore your sister has built. How long do you think until they get brave enough to attack?"

Bo-Katan didn't reply to the blonde man, but he saw her tighten to show that she understood the implications. The redhead didn't quite agree with the way her sister wanted the Mandalorians to live in peace, since they are a warrior people, but she couldn't think of her own wants when she had a daughter to protect. Just like when she first returned to Mandalore to give birth to her daughter, she would swallow her pride and resentment if it meant her baby would live a safe and happy life.

"Do you really think Death Watch would be brazen enough to attack?" Satine asked, seeing her sister in her thoughts.

"Yes, they would eventually, I am surprised they have not attacked yet, to be honest," Naruto replied grimly. "More than three-quarters of Mandalorians support the basic ideals of the Death Watch, so it's not hard to figure out the outcome if an attack happens."

"That can't be right, are you trying to say that most of my people would side with terrorists instead of putting down their arms and living in peace?" Satine said in frustration. She had a feeling that was the case, but she wanted to believe her people could change.

"Do you know if Bo-Katan was not pregnant at the time Death Watch approached her, she would have joined their ranks," Naruto stated, not directly answering Satine. "The reason is because she embraces the true spirit of what it means to be a Mandalorian. You have to face the facts that your people are not peaceful individuals and will always look for battle and war."

"I can't accept that. If I do, then all that I built and fought for will be for nothing," Satine said stubbornly. "My people can change."

"If you say so," Naruto said, not willing to fight Satine on the subject. It was not his place, and it was not why he was here in the first place. "Do you have a way to contact Death Watch, Bo-Katan?"

Bo-Katan didn't answer immediately to deny having a way to contact Death Watch, which disappointed and saddened her sister. The redhead had a conflicted look on her face, but Naruto knew all he had to do was give her a push to do the right thing.

"Death Watch is not who or what you think they are," Naruto stated calmly. "They may follow some of the old Mandalorian ways, but they are extremists. They kidnap children from their homes and train them brutally to be their future pawns. They don't have the honor of true Mandalorians."

"Damn you and damn them," Bo-Katan said as she slumped forward. "I don't exactly know how to get in contact with Death Watch, but I may know someone who can."

Bo-Katan said with a defeated look, she didn't agree at all with her sister's wanting to make Mandalore a peaceful people. It sounded like weakness, but Death Watch were honorless warmongers if what Naruto said about them was true. In the end, the redhead had to think of her daughter's future. She would rather her grow up in peace than be sacrificed like a meat shield.

Satine shot her sister a look that made it clear she would have a serious talk with her later, but for now, she would focus on what was to come.

Chapter End

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

A/N: Hope you guys like this chapter, don't forget to like the story, until next time.