The Invisible Hand
Blanket disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Star Wars
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This chapter features a couple of time skips in it. We're going to jump into the time of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Here is Chapter 22. Enjoy!
{ } Signifies an alien language
…
Last time:
21 BBY
Outer Rim Territories, D'Astan Sector, Planet Serenno, Dooku's Palace
Darth Tyranus was pondering what to do next. The Galactic Republic's Operation Peacemaker was moving like rolling thunder through the Tion Cluster. The CIS had suffered a crushing defeat and it had all been engineered by the Sith Lord Naruto Uzumaki. That's when the Renatasian appeared in a hologram on Dooku's personal line.
Naruto had pulled out all the stops for this particular visit. He had his hood up and most of his features were concealed. His glowing eyes showed up well though. Naruto hissed in his best imitation of Darth Zannah yet, "Hello Tyranus. I have something here I believe you lost." He held up the very dead Cad Bane's head and said, "Sending a bounty hunter after me was very poor form Dooku."
Dooku cringed and Naruto said, "He didn't have much to say when I crushed the life out of him with my bare hands." Then he dropped Cad Bane's body and it hit the ground with a lifeless thud. "Sending this insect after me shows you are losing your mind as badly as you are losing the war." snarled the blonde.
"I assure you I was just testing your mettle." said the sweating Dooku. "If we are to be allies then I need to know you are capable Lord Naruto."
"I'm more than capable of destroying you Tyranus." growled the Renatasian. "You'd best remember that when we do meet again face to face." he motioned down to Cad Bane's corpse. "Otherwise, you might end up looking like your little friend here."
Then Naruto cut the transmission and the hologram faded out.
Dooku was sweating heavily. "Perhaps it's time I contact Lord Sidious for instructions on this matter. The boy is growing more powerful with every moment that passes…"
…
Chapter 22
Year 21 BBY
Outer Rim Territories, D'Astan Sector, Planet Serenno, Dooku's Palace
Darth Tyranus was speaking with his Master, Darth Sidious via holographic image. "It would seem that my gambit to send Cad Bane to eliminate Naruto Uzumaki has ended in failure my Master." said Dooku
"And Felucia has fallen to the Republic as well." said Darth Sidious. "Things are not going as I had foreseen. The plan is unraveling too quickly Lord Tyranus. It will take another two years to build our forces to the level we need."
"We still have strongholds at Saleucami, Mygeeto, Kaller and Yerbana Master Sidious." said Dooku. "We also hold Serenno and dozens of other systems in Wild Space."
Sidious said, "It's not enough. I may have to execute Order 66 early and eliminate the Jedi once and for all."
Dooku looked apprehensive. "Perhaps a counteroffensive against Coruscant is in order Master. Kidnapping the Supreme Chancellor could throw the Jedi off balance."
Darth Sidious smiled, "Yes… Can it be done?"
"I will make it happen personally Master." said Dooku.
…
Core Worlds, Corusca Sector, Planet Coruscant, Grand Jedi Temple
Naruto returned to the Grand Jedi Temple with his daughter Natasi who had a good mastery over water walking. It wasn't quite what Naruto had hoped for but their time together had been cut short by Cad Bane's untimely intervention.
The blonde took Natasi down to the Jedi Squall Clan Quarters where they hugged each other goodbye. He said, "Work hard Natasi, I foresee you becoming a great and wise Jedi Knight someday."
She hugged him and said, "I will." before Naruto went to see the High Jedi Council…
…
Jedi High Council Chambers
"Welcome back Master Uzumaki." said Mace Windu. "As you foresaw, the forces of the Republic are progressing against the Confederacy. However, Count Dooku and Sidious still lurk among the shadows. We have to be more careful than ever as a cornered animal is the most dangerous kind."
Naruto nodded. "I couldn't agree more Master Windu. The Sith are far from beaten."
…
20 BBY
It had been a year since Operation Peacemaker and The Confederacy of Independent Systems had lost one system after another to the Galactic Republic forces. Both Darth Sidious and Count Dooku have each tried to prolong the war in their own way but have found themselves repeatedly thwarted by Republic Strategic Command's Officers and Jedi Advisor Jedi General Naruto Uzumaki.
Worse still in Sidious' eyes is the addition of a Chiss Rear Admiral named Thrawn who was not only discovered by Jedi General Anakin Skywalker but became an immediate protégé of General Uzumaki. Admiral Thrawn's brilliant field strategies caused the fall of several CIS Strongholds and the Confederate General Grievous lost time and again against the combination of the Uzumaki/Thrawn Strategic Team.
For their part, the Jedi Order has removed itself from the war in favor of peacekeeping duties with notable exceptions such as Anakin Skywalker, Obi-wan Kenobi and Aayla Secura among others. They have quietly recouped their numbers and are slowly removing the veil of the dark side of the Force…
…
Outer Rim Territoris, D'Astan Sector, Planet Serenno, Dooku's Palace
Count Dooku was disgusted with the most recent turn of events, "I don't believe this!" he ranted. "I had my top spies leak to the media that Jedi General Naruto Uzumaki was having an illicit affair with Senator Padmė Amidala of Naboo. It should have discredited him and driven a wedge in the Jedi Order."
That colossally backfired. The Count glared at the wedding invitation he received. "The little bastard simply revealed that they had been engaged for months and they were publicly married on Naboo at the Capital City of Theed. Ugh! And I was invited!" He looked at the headlines. …Many Jedi were in attendance including Grandmaster Yoda and Master Mace Windu of the Jedi Council… "If anything, the Jedi are showing solidarity publicly and Naruto Uzumaki is more popular than ever!"
…
Core Worlds, Corusca Sector, Planet Coruscant Orbit, CIS Dreadnought Invisible Hand
Two weeks later the Confederacy of Independent Systems threw their biggest gambit of the war; an attack on Coruscant itself. In a daring raid Count Dooku and General Grievous' forces even managed to abduct Supreme Chancellor Palpatine…
…Now Sheev Palpatine was quietly sitting 'captured' in the observation deck of the Invisible Hand waiting to be rescued by Anakin Skywalker. Dooku had outlived his usefulness as far as Sidious was concerned and Anakin would be the perfect replacement for him… 'Where is that boy?!' thought Palpatine irritably. 'He's supposed to be rescuing me so I can turn him to the dark side!'
…
Planet Coruscant, Grand Jedi Temple docking bays
Down on the surface of Coruscant Obi-wan Kenobi was waiting around on Anakin Skywalker to show himself when Naruto Uzumaki arrived. Kenobi face palmed and asked, "Naruto, have you seen Anakin? We have a rescue to conduct!"
The blonde shrugged. "Anakin is probably over at his fiancé Riyo Chuchi's place. You know those two have been head over heels since they met at Padmė and I's wedding a few weeks back."
"I still have to wonder if Jedi being allowed to marry now is a good or bad thing." said Kenobi.
"We've discussed this before Obi-wan." said Naruto. "You were on the High Jedi Council when it was agreed that-"
Obi-wan sighed. "I know Naruto; I know. I was one of those that argued in favor of it. I just never imagined my former Padawan would be shacking up with his Pantoran girlfriend's place when the Supreme Chancellor needs recuing."
"Eh, that old crook has far too much power anyway." stated the blonde. "Tell you what, I'll tag along in Skywalker's place if you can handle it."
"It's better than dying of old age waiting on Anakin." said Kenobi exasperated. "Let's get going."
…
Moments later Naruto and Obi-wan were spaceborne in a pair Eta-2 Actis-class interceptors*① and heading for the coordinates given to them on the location of the CIS Ship Invisible Hand.
Naruto spoke into his comm link, "Obi-wan, this is my second Providence-Class Dreadnought I've attacked in a fighter. This one is swarming with droid fighters though. There are so many that we're going to be competing with them for parking places…what a drag."
The sky was soon filled with droid fighters of every size imaginable and the two Jedi were forced to make wild maneuvers in order to avoid being shot out of the sky. "Break left!" yelled Naruto as he picked off another droid fighter. "…Anyway, I think you should spend some serious time with Duchess Satine Kryze Obi-wan. I think she likes you and I know you want to hit that."
"I'm not listening Naruto." said Obi-wan.
"Oh come off it Kenobi, you know you like her!" exclaimed Naruto. "Ah, break right! These damn droids keep interrupting our conversation."
Two more droid fighters fell to Naruto's cannons, and one fell two Obi-wan's. "Why are you so concerned about my social status anyway?" asked the bearded Jedi Master.
Naruto laughed as they slid through the partially closed blast doors and landed on the flight deck of the Invisible Hand. "Let's just say my wife Padmė and Senator Riyo Chuchi have a little wager on you losing your virgini- Uh-oh! Head's up!"
A small army of heavy battle droids approached the two Republic starfighters and were quickly dispatched by the two Jedi. As their Astromech droids were both intact, Naruto said, "R4, you two stay down here with the ships. Hide if you need to but stay on standby in case we need you."
Receiving an affirmative in binary, the two Jedi raced towards the Chancellor's location on the Invisible Hand's observation deck.
General Grievous was in the forward section of the ship when the two Jedi were detected. "Report!" said Grievous in between coughs.
"There are two Jedi Knights coming from the after landing bay. They are heading towards the observation spire." said the Neimoidian Captain.
"It is just as Count Dooku predicted." said Grievous. "Let them pass with minimal interference. Count Dooku wants to deal with them personally."
When Obi-wan and Naruto arrived on the observation deck the only person they found was Supreme Chancellor Palpatine secured with manacles to a pivoting observation chair. As the two Jedi approached, Palpatine thought angrily, 'Where is young Skywalker?! He is the one that is supposed to fight Dooku; not Uzumaki!'
Obi-wan bowed and asked, "Supreme Chancellor, are you alright?"
Palpatine motioned behind the two Jedi and said, "Dooku…"
Naruto said, "Obi-wan, free the chancellor. I'll deal with Dooku."
Palpatine acted panicked. "Get help. You are no match for him. He is a Sith Lord."
…
Dooku came on the Observation Deck expecting to face Obi-wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. His eyes widened when he saw Naruto standing there waiting for him. Naruto said, "What kept you Dooku? First you didn't answer the RSVP to my wedding and now you show up late to the party. For shame. I'd think being nobility and all you show a little class."
Dooku growled, "I've been waiting a long time for this Uzumaki. Your light saber please. I don't want things to get too messy in front of the Supreme Chancellor."
Naruto said, "Your shoe is untied Count."
Dooku looked down and asked, "It is?"
Then the blonde hit him with a chakra enhanced sucker punch straight in the jaw which sent Dooku flying into the metal wall behind him. with a crunching noise that echoed throughout the room.
Kenobi's jaw dropped and Palpatine face faulted. For his part Dooku was spitting out blood and teeth and had his jaw dislocated. "This isn't a game!" snarled Dooku hatefully as he activated his crimson light saber.
Naruto smiled wickedly and said, "Isn't life just a game for a Sith Lord?" He activated his ghostfire light saber and whispered, "Come face your fears."
Dooku leapt at Naruto and attacked like a demon possessed and put Naruto on the defensive but the blonde countered rapidly and started battling the older man back towards the two heavy battle droids that had entered the room with Dooku earlier.
Uzumaki Force pushed the Sith Lord in between the two battle droids before Force pushing the two droids into one another and crushing Dooku in the process. The bloodied Darth Tyranus tried to get back up but Naruto was standing atop Dooku's broken body with his light saber pointed at the older man's throat.
Naruto whispered, "I sense much fear in you." as his eyes sparked with chakra. "Tell me the true identity of Darth Sidious."
Dooku whispered. "Pal-Palpatine."
Naruto spun around just in time to hear a guttural roar from Sheev Palpatine as the Chancellor knocked Obi-wan aside and hit Naruto with a torrent of Force lightning. Sidious roared, "Damn you boy! You've interfered with my plans for the last time!"
Naruto was able to block most of the lightning and started reflecting it back at the would-be Emperor of the Galaxy. Sheev screamed bloody murder when Obi-wan clambered up and used his light saber to slice the Sith Lord's right hand off. Force lightning flew everywhere as Palpatine lost control sending Obi-wan flying.
The blonde Jedi Master powered his way slowly towards the injured Obi-wan and kept directing the Force lightning back at Palpatine and watched in morbid fascination as the Chancellor seemed to age a hundred years in as many seconds.
Obi-wan managed to stumble to his feet and the two Jedi sped away from Palpatine, up the stairs and up to the level where the battered Dooku was lying injured and unconscious. They dragged the older man with them as they ran into the elevator down.
Naruto was hurting but Obi-wan was worse and Count Dooku was in worse shape still. "Shadow Clone jutsu!" whispered Naruto as the elevator opened. The blonde could still hear and feel the screams of agony and hatred radiating from Palpatine as they entered the hallway where the escape pods were.
The shadow clones loaded Obi-wan and Count Dooku into the escape pod before dispersing so Naruto could clamber in. The blonde punched the launch button and the escape pod fired them away from the Invisible Hand and towards Coruscant…
…
CIS Dreadnaught Invisible Hand
General Grievous was shocked to hear the orders directly from Lord Sidious himself to withdraw all forces at once. "Get us out of here! roared Sidious. Take us to Utapau*②!"
Grievous felt fear and said, "Yes my Lord; right away." He turned to him helmsman and said, "Lay in a course for Utapau. We are leaving."
When the Invisible Hand withdrew the Confederate Fleet quickly dispersed having lost momentum without their Supreme Commander. The Battle for Coruscant was over…
…
Planet Coruscant. Industrial District
After the escape pod crash landed in the industrial district, Jedi Master Uzumaki activated a personal distress beacon and reached the Grand Jedi Temple. A hologram of Master Mace Windu and Grandmaster Yoda appeared before him. Naruto said, "I have three needing medical attention. One is a prisoner."
"What happened?" asked Master Windu.
Naruto was in pain but said, "Master Obi-wan and I barely escaped with our lives. "We managed to capture Count Dooku alive."
Yoda's eyes widened. "…And the Supreme Chancellor?"
"Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine is Darth Sidious and a Dark Lord of the Sith." said Naruto. "We had to retreat. He was maimed but alive."
"A medical transport is on its way Naruto." said Mace Windu. "How bad are you?"
Naruto smiled through gritted teeth. "I got raked by some serious Force lightning, but I'll live. Obi-wan's unconscious but Dooku is a total wreck."
…
Grand Jedi Temple, Medical Ward
'Ugh…The last thing I remember was talking to that Medic on the transport…' thought Naruto. He opened his tired eyes and saw his wife Padmė sleeping in a chair beside his bed with his five-year-old daughter Natasi asleep in her lap. He smiled weakly and thought, 'Everything will be alright as long as they are safe.'
He realized that Padmė was holding his hand in hers and gently squeezed it to wake her up. Her brown eyes opened quickly and she saw her husband smiling tiredly at her. "Hello beautiful." He said in a scratchy voice. "I've missed you."
"Not as much as I've missed you." said Padmė with a smile. "Thank heavens you're safe." She leaned in and kissed his forehead. "The entire Senate is in an uproar over Palpatine. His entire advisory staff knew. Their all under lock and key now."
Natasi woke up and said, "Naruto! You're okay!"
Naruto smiled at his daughter and said, "I'm alright little one. Daddy's a tough cookie."
…
Obi-wan woke up a few hours later feeling battered and bruised. "Ouch." said the bearded Jedi Master. "Since I'm hurting this much, I guess I made it out alive."
"That you did Master Obi-wan." said Yoda from the side of his bed. "Quite a journey, you and young Uzumaki had. The veil of the dak side, lifted at last. Palpatine is defeated for now."
"What happened Master?" asked Kenobi. "I remember stumbling through the halls of the enemy dreadnought after we ran from Darth Sidious but then it's all a blur."
"Pulled you and Dooku out, young Naruto did." said Yoda.
Obi-wan sighed, "So Dooku survived?"
Yoda nodded sadly. "My fallen apprentice… Crippled he is. He will live only to face trials of the Republic Senate. Then he will be no more."
"I'm sorry Master Yoda." Said Master Kenobi, "I can't imagine what it must be like to have a former student turn against you."
Yoda's ears drooped a bit. "Hopefully you never will."
…
Anakin Skywalker came in to see Obi-wan soon after Yoda left. He said, "I heard what happened Master. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help."
Kenobi smiled and said, "It may have been the will of the Force Anakin. We'll never know. You missed all of the fun though. The two Sith Lords threw us quite a welcoming party. I never imagined that the Supreme Chancellor was in fact Darth Sidious."
Skywalker looked ashamed, "And to think I thought Palpatine was a good man. I looked up to him."
Shaking his head, Obi-wan stated, "He had every last one of us fooled Anakin, not just you. There's no need to feel embarrassed. Now that the wool has been pulled from our eyes; I can't believe we all missed it. The man orchestrated both sides of the Galactic Civil War in order to crush the Jedi once and for all."
"I'm just glad you are alive and well Master." said Anakin. "The way you and Naruto looked when you were dragged in here was quite a sight... And Count Dooku… I hardly recognized him he looks so bad."
Kenobi frowned, "At the risk of sounding vengeful it serves Dooku right after all he did to the galaxy. Have you spoken to him?"
"No." said Skywalker. "I really want nothing to do with him."
…
Count Dooku woke up feeling more dead than alive. He immediately recognized he was in the Jedi temple and saw four Temple Guardians in the corners of the room keeping silent vigil over him. "What happened?" he rasped out. "The last thing I saw was Force lightning."
The Guardians remained silent until Grandmaster Yoda came into the room with Mace Windu. Windu looked stern and uncompromising, but Yoda just looked sad.
Dooku said in a broken voice, "I thought I was a visionary. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hatred leads to suffering. I felt I had learned to persevere through the suffering and achieved the ultimate power… I realize now that I was a fool and that Sidious used me."
Mace Windu said, "You and your Master Palpatine cost the Galaxy millions of lives Dooku. I once respected you as a political idealist but now all I see is a broken shell of what was once a great Jedi. You are an amoral shame. The Galactic Senate wants your head on a pike and they will have it. Even if you are truly repentant; nothing can save you now."
The Count said weakly, "I'm well aware of what I've done. In the end I was cast aside by my Master and left for dead. I have no doubt that the Senate will pass a death sentence on me. I ask you though; why trust Uzumaki?"
Yoda smiled and said, "Young Naruto is not a Sith but a pretender to the title of Sith Lord. Fooled both you and Sidious, he did."
Dooku closed his eyes for a moment and said, "Then I indeed am a fool." He tried to move a bit but found it hurt too much. "Ugh… my body. How bad is it Master?"
Yoda said sadly, "Shattered, is your body. Most of your bones broken by young Uzumaki and everything else demolished by Sidious' Force lightning... My fallen apprentice, what went wrong?"
"I don't know when I began to go wrong Master Yoda. I suppose it was my political leanings and frustration with the Republic itself that led me to the Dark Side. I felt that there was no light and dark; only power."
Yoda shook his head sadly. "Among our best and brightest you were Dooku. For you to have fallen so far… Saddens me it does."
Dooku looked shamed. "With your permission Master, I would like to borrow a protocol droid to record my thoughts before I am handed over to those savages in the Senate. Perhaps my admissions will keep others from falling into the same trap I did."
"Granted, your wish is." said the Grandmaster. "Many questions we have that you will answer regardless."
"I have one question for you Dooku." said Master Windu. "Where do you think Darth Sidious is now? He was badly maimed by Obi-wan Kenobi and Naruto Uzumaki."
Dooku thought for a moment and said, "Sidious said that if things ever went wrong, we could bide our time on Planet Exegol*③ and rebuild. He's probably licking his wounds there. It's somewhere out in the Unknown Regions but I don't where it is exactly. He never told me."
Mace nodded and left leaving the saddened Yoda to speak with Dooku in private.
…
Outer Rim Territories, Terabba Sector, Planet Utapau
In the meantime, the maimed Palpatine issued Order 66 only to discover (to his horror) that the overwhelming majority of the Clone Troopers didn't even know what Order 66 even was. Only a few clones from original batches that had the biochips installed obeyed the order and since most had been lost in the war; they were quickly restrained or eliminated by their follow Clone Troopers.
General Grievous and the Executive Separatist Council members such as Nute Gunray and Wat Tambor gathered on Utapau by the orders of Darth Sidious for a strategy meeting. Palpatine himself had already fled to Exegol by the time the Separatist Leaders had assembled. Unfortunately for all of them it was a trap set by Darth Sidious to destroy all the loose ends that could lead back to him…
…
20 BBY
Within the next three months the last of the Confederacy strongholds had fallen and all the droid armies were all shut down or destroyed. Grievous died in battle against the combined forces of Jedi General Skywalker and Rear Admiral Thrawn at the Battle of Utapau which officially ended the Clone Wars once and for all… and peace was restored to the Galaxy.
…
Core Worlds, Corusca Sector, Planet Coruscant, Galactic Senate Building
Senator Padmė Amidala-Uzumaki watched as Count Dooku's trial dragged on. She thought 'Dooku and his few co-conspirators that are left are already sentenced to death for high treason and insurrection against the Galactic Republic. How long is farce going to last?'
Finally, the new Supreme Chancellor Bail Organa said, "Count Dooku of Serenno; this governing body finds you guilty on all counts and you are hereby sentenced to death by firing squad. Do you have any last words?"
Dooku was physically in shambles but still spoke well enough. "The Separatist Crisis and the Galactic Civil War started because of the corruption and exploitation housed in this very building. I will not live to see it but only sweeping reforms made by the Galactic Senate and the Republic itself will prevent another Civil War from occurring. Those are my final words."
Dooku was the last of the Separatists sentenced and the first to be executed. Many heads would roll before the Galactic Senate settled back down into a governing body.
…
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*④ as a world like Korriban, Ziost and Asog that had been a fertile world that was laid to waste 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…
~PART I FIN~
…
POSTSCRIPT:
*①: Eta-2 Actis-class interceptors -also known as the Jedi interceptor or Jedi starfighter due to its extensive use by Jedi pilots. It is a Republic starfighter used late in the Clone Wars that shared design elements with the Republic Delta-7 and Delta-7B starfighters.
*②: Utapau - An Outer Rim world located in the Utapau System. Utapau has a temperate climate and a rocky terrain of desert plains and large sinkholes.
*③: Exegol - Exegol (also spelled Ixigul in ancient texts) is a dark desert planet located within the Unknown Regions that, according to legend, was the hidden redoubt world of the Sith.
*④: Rammahgon -The Rammahgon was a well-known and influential work, one of the sacred Jedi texts, written in the Coremiac Language with at least one chapter authored by a Jedi known as Kli the Elder, that compiled many origin stories of the Jedi. The original Rammahgon is believed to have been destroyed for over 5,000 years.
I originally planned to write out the time skips but honestly it turned out to be nothing but repetitive battles. The Battle of Utapau was about a third written out when I realized I was just regurgitating the movies play by play. In the end I just went with the time skip/summary of it.
That ends the prequel trilogy of Star Wars Episodes I, II and III. This story still has a lot of places to grow because of loose ends. I've had a pretty good run here, so I don't know if I'll continue this story or change to another one. See you Next time. Blue out. 3/30/24