United in Battle

Chapter 3

Tori and Sessho-Maru raced through the swamps of Naboo. They dodged the blaster fire from the droids chasing them. Tori tripped over a tree root and let out a small scream as a laser sliced through her leg. Sessho-Maru used Tokijin to slice through the offending droids. He knelt next to Tori.

"Are you okay?" He examined the small wound.

"Nothing a margarita wouldn't fix." Tori struggled to her feet as more droids began to surround them. "Shit!"

A droid with yellow markings stepped forward. "Surrender now."

"Not in this lifetime, butthead." Tori pulled the blaster and shot the droid. "Who's next?"

The droids moved forward as a giant vortex opened behind them. Sessho-Maru grabbed Tori and pulled her to the ground as Miroku stepped into view and the vortex disappeared.

"I thought you could use some help." Miroku turned to face the droids trying to sneak up on him. "Wind Tunnel!!" The vortex shot from his right hand and sucked several droids in as a large black dog ripped apart droid after droid. Miroku wrapped his beads around his hand after the last droid either fell or was sucked into the vortex.

Sirius changed back into his human form while Tori and Sessho-Maru climbed to their feet. Sessho-Maru bowed to the two men that had aided them in battle. Sirius pulled out his wand and knelt next to Tori.

"What are you going to do?" Tori tried to move but Sessho-Maru held onto her shoulder.

"Just hold still while I fix this." Sirius pointed his wand at the small burned wound and muttered a few words no one could hear. He looked up at Tori. "That should so it."

"Thanks." Tori stretched her leg slightly. "It certainly feels better. By the way, the two of you have excellent timing."

"Thanks." Miroku turned to Sessho-Maru. "Have you seen anyone else?"

Sessho-Maru gently sniffed the air. "No one is near. We must find them."

"I agree wholeheartedly." Sirius transformed into his dog form and barked at Tori.

"I believe he is telling you to climb on." Miroku watched at Tori climbed onto Sirius' back.

Together the group tore through the swampy forest. Sessho-Maru stopped often to sniff the air.

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Obi-Wan and Remus ducked behind a tree to avoid several droids marching by them. Remus let out a pent up breath as droids on speeders raced toward them firing their blasters.

"Shit!" Remus shoved Obi-Wan to the ground. "Protego!" A shimmering blue shield formed around them and bounced the blaster fire back onto the droids.

"Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!!" Inu-Yasha's claws ripped through several droids and speeders.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango's giant boomerang sliced through the half a dozen droids running toward the group.

"You're great to have in a battle, Sango." Remus continued to fire curse after curse at the droids.

Sango blushed slightly. "And you, Remus, are able to put up barriers like our friend Kagome."

"Nope. Just a simple shield charm." The last droid fell at Remus' feet. He turned to Inu-Yasha and extended a hand. "I loved what your claws did. Too bad the full moon isn't out. I'd give you a run for your money."

"Feh!" Inu-Yasha sniffed the air slightly. "We've got more company coming."

James and Lily ran into the clearing with a score more droids behind them as well as droids on speeders. Inu-Yasha withdrew Tetsusaiga and sliced through the droids. James leaned over his knees panting.

"Thanks, Inu-Yasha." Lily threw her arms around Inu-Yasha's neck and kissed his cheek. "Try as we might we just couldn't get a spell off. That's when we saw the curses that Remus was throwing and hurried this way.

Inu-Yasha blushed as Lily let go of him. "Let's keep moving."

Remus turned to Obi-wan. "Bossy, isn't he?"

"Just like Master Qui-Gon." Obi-Wan whirled around while pulling out his lightsaber. He flipped the switch and nothing happened. Droids were slowly filling the clearing again. He tried the switch again. "Qui-Gon's going to kill me."

"Run!!!" James grabbed Lily's hand and raced through the swamps.

They raced past Sessho-Maru, Tori, Sirius who was still in dog form, and Miroku. Miroku stepped to the front of the group and quickly removed the beads from his right hand.

"Wind Tunnel!!" The droids were sucked into the swirling vortex just as James changed into a stag.

Miroku replaced the beads as Sirius and James started to rip through the droids. Sango threw her boomerang as Inu-Yasha and Sessho-Maru ripped through the droids with their claws. Lily and Remus fired curses at the gathering droids as several speeders buzzed them. Obi-Wan used the Force to flatten several droids as Tori blasted them with the blaster.

"There are too many of them." Tori looked over at the others. "We need help."

Sessho-Maru swung Tori and Lily onto his back while Remus and Obi-Wan swung onto James' back. Inu-Yasha bounded ahead of them carrying Sango while Miroku rode Sirius. Qui-Gon heard branches breaking and blaster fire as the group approached him. Kirara jumped out of his tunic and transformed into her full fire cat form. He gave the fire cat a smile as he pulled out and turned on his lightsaber. Together they ripped through the droid speeders. Kirara returned to her smaller form as Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan climbing from James' back.

"What happened to your lightsaber, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon held out his hand.

Obi-Wan placed the damaged lightsaber into his hand. "I tried to light it but it wouldn't work."

Qui-Gon frowned as he handed the lightsaber back to Obi-Wan. "Of course it didn't light. You must have left it on when you went into the water. The power core is soaked through. Now we have to wait until it either dries out or recharges. You know that you need to take care of your weapon."

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan ducked his head slightly as he clipped the lightsaber back onto his utility belt when he heard a high pitched scream.

Sessho-Maru held an orange creature in his hand and shook it. "Who are you?"

"That is Jar Jar Binks. He's one of the locals." Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow.

Sessho-Maru dropped the frightened Gungan. "I see."

Qui-Gon looked around the group. "I see everyone has made it."

"Master, we must go to Theed and warn the Queen." Obi-Wan also looked around the group.

"Better yet, we need somewhere to hide from those stinking droids." Tori moved closer to Jar Jar.

"She's right." Remus leaned against a tree. "Our spells don't stop them for long and James and Sirius could get seriously hurt if one of those things were to explode while they're ripping them apart."

"Really." Inu-Yasha jumped up into the branches of one of the trees. "We'd better hurry. Those droids will be here soon."

"Mya knows a place." Jar Jar stepped forward slightly. "The Gungans have a city. It'sa a hidden city."

"Can you take us there?" Tori turned slightly to face the Gungan.

"Um...Actually...No." Jar Jar cowered slightly when Sessho-Maru growled at him. "Mya forgot. Mya been banished. The bosses will do terrible things to me if mya going back."

Inu-Yasha stared at the Gungan as the sounds of the droids got a bit louder. "If we don't get out of here, those metal freaks are going to be doing terrible things to all of us."

"He's right, Jar Jar. If those droids catch us, most of us will be going to someone called Darth Sidious while the Jedi are killed. Then the Queen and your bosses won't be able to do anything to help you." Tori's crystal blue eyes filled slightly with tears. "I don't know about you but I'm not exactly ready to die."

Jar Jar fidgeted slightly when he saw Tori starting to cry. "Yousa gotta point." Jar Jar hurried to the edge of the clearing. "Yousa follows me."

Tori groaned slightly as she turned to Lily and Sango. "Not more running."

Kirara transformed into her full form and Sango climbed onto her back and stretched her hand down to Tori and Lily. "Come on, Tori, Lily. Kirara can carry the three of us."

Sessho-Maru lifted Tori into his arms and gently placed her on Kirara's back while Lily scrambled up. Kirara took off into the air and raced after Jar Jar while everyone else ran through the swampy forests. They arrived on the edge of a large lake and watched as Jar Jar jumped into the water. He resurfaced quickly.

"Wesa going under water now but mesa warning you. Gungans no likey outsiders." He dove under the water again.

Qui-Gon pulled several rebreathers from his utility belt while Obi-Wan did the same. "All you need to do is slip this into your mouth and you will be able to breathe under water."

Inu-Yasha looked at the rebreathers for a moment before sticking it in his mouth. Sango fitted one into Kirara's mouth before slipping one into hers. Miroku and Sirius gave each other lopsided grins before they slipped on the rebreathers and dove into the water. Tori looked at Sessho-Maru and smiled when he slipped on the rebreather before he followed Sirius and Miroku into the water. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon watched as James and Lily followed moments later. Jar Jar resurfaced as they dove into the water.

Tori swam strongly beside Jar Jar and Sessho-Maru while Miroku and Sango seemed to lag behind the group. Suddenly a gorgeous city rose into view. Tori thought it looked like a giant bubble bath while she treaded water for a moment before following Jar Jar to a platform and walking right through the barrier-like bubble. She turned around in a tight circle as she took the rebreather from her mouth.

Tori slid the rebreather into her back pocket as Sessho-Maru draped his right arm across her shoulders. "Jar Jar, this place is beautiful."

"I thought we were going to break the bubble." Inu-Yasha knelt down slightly before shaking like a dog.

"Inu-Yasha!" Lily flipped her wet hair from her face. "Did you think I wasn't wet enough?" She pulled out her wand and performed a drying spell on herself, Sango, Sessho-Maru and Tori.

James quickly dried himself and Qui-Gon. The older Jedi bowed slightly as Sirius dried himself and Miroku. Remus laughed as he dried off himself, Kirara, and Obi-Wan. No one noticed a Gungan guard approaching the group until Jar Jar yelped in pain.

"Not again, Jar Jar." The Gungan jabbed Jar Jar again with his staff.

"Hello theres, Captain Tarpals. Mesa back." Jar Jar smiled broadly.

"This time yousa in big juju!" Captain Tarpals shoved Jar Jar slightly.

Miroku stepped forward slightly. "We could use some assistance. Perhaps even a vessel."

"Yeah. We need to get to Theed." James came forward to stand beside Jar Jar.

"Yousa gotta go before de bosses." Captain Tarpals led the strange looking group down the corridors.

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The oddball group stood before what looked like a panel of Gungan judges. Tori shifted slightly on her feet as Sessho-Maru growled at any Gungan, human, or demon male that looked her way. James and Sirius sat Indian style on the floor while Inu-Yasha fingered his Tetsusaiga. Lily looked around the room while Sango ran her hand over Kirara's soft fur. Miroku gazed longingly at Sango while Remus leaned against one of the pillars. Obi-Wan stood next to Qui-Gon at the very front of the group.

"Yousa nota welcome here." Boss Nass leaned over the desk slightly.

"We need to warn the Naboo." Qui-Gon stepped forward.

"We no liken the Naboo. Dey thinkin' der brains so big." Boss Nass leaned back again.

"Please." Tori took a step forward as did Sessho-Maru. "If we don't warn the Naboo, those droids will find your beautiful city and destroy you as well."

"She's right." Obi-Wan laid a hand on Tori's shoulder causing Sessho-Maru to growl at him. "You have a circle with the Naboo. What happens to one happens to the other."

"You have to help us get to the Naboo." Tori forced several tears to leak from her eyes. "We have families on our own world that we need to get back to."

Sessho-Maru pulled Tori to his chest. "We need a vessel to take us to the Naboo."

"He is right." Qui-Gon waved his hand slightly. "You will send us safely away."

"Wesa sends you away. Wesa gives yousa una Bongo." Boss Nass clasped his hands in front of him. "The fastest way is through the planet's core." He waved the group away. "Now go."

Sango approached Qui-Gon. "What about Jar Jar? He'll be killed if we leave him here."

Qui-Gon turned back to the bosses. "What will happen to Jar Jar Binks?"

"He is to be punished." Boss Nass grinned wickedly.

"I saved his life. He has what your people would call a life debt." Qui-Gon crossed his arms. "Your beliefs demand that his life belongs to me."

"Jar Jar, yousa have a life play with disn hisn?" Boss Nass turned to Jar Jar.

"Uh Uh." Jar Jar nodded.

"Take him!" Boss Nass waved the group away. "Take dem to the bongo."

Captain Tarpals led the expanding group down to the vessel that would carry them to the Naboo.

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Tori gazed out the window from her perch on Sessho-Maru's lap as Obi-Wan carefully steered the vessel through the semi- calm waters. She shifted slightly causing Sessho-Maru to growl softly in her ear. Lily moaned slightly as James massaged her neck and shoulders. Sirius kept his fists clenched tightly against his legs to prevent himself from grabbing Sango and kissing her senseless. Miroku sulked slightly in his seat beside Qui-Gon in the middle of the vessel. Inu-Yasha yawned slightly as he watched the fish swim by the window. Remus watched Sirius' tortured look before pulling a picture from his pocket and gazing at it. Kirara jumped from lap to lap before settling down in Tori's lap. Jar Jar stared out the window looking at the various fish swimming by and licking his lips.

Sango leaned forward slightly causing Sirius to groan and dig his fingernails into the seat. "So Jar Jar, why were you banished?"

"Mya embarrassed to say but mya clumsy." Jar Jar bowed his head slightly.

"That's a stupid reason to be banished." Inu-Yasha snorted as he gazed out the window.

"Hush up, Inu-Yasha." Lily leaned forward slightly and tugged on one of his ears. "Some people, or in this case, creatures, don't have the grace that you do."

"Feh!" Inu-Yasha sulked slightly in his seat.

Suddenly the ship lurched to one side as an opee sea killer fish grabbed the ship and began to swim with it toward a cave. Inu-Yasha, Sessho-Maru, and Miroku tried to jump to their feet and draw out their weapons. Tori squealed as she and Kirara were nearly thrown to the floor of the vessel.

"Opee Sea Killer! Big-o teeth!" Jar Jar tried to jump over the back of the seat and into Qui-Gon's lap.

"Relax." Just as suddenly the ship was released as a bigger fish grabbed the opee sea killer and began to eat. Qui-Gon settled back in his seat. "There's always a bigger fish."

Everyone settled back in their seats. Sessho-Maru nuzzled at Tori's neck in apology causing Inu-Yasha's eyes to bug out. Obi-Wan shifted the ship slightly and entered a cave. About halfway through the cavern the lights began to flicker. Jar Jar began to panic while Lily held onto James and about strangled him. Sirius took advantage of the power dying to grab Sango's waist and pulled her in for a deep kiss. Her slap resounded through the vessel along with Sirius' yelp of pain.

Qui-Gon shook his head. "Now is not the time to panic." He leaned forward to Obi-Wan. "Can you get the power back?"

"I'm trying." Obi-Wan pulled off the panel covering the wires while Jar Jar continued to jump around.

"Whena yousa thinkin' itsa time to panic?" Jar Jar continued to flip out.

The lights came back as Obi-Wan reconnected two wires. "Power's back."

Jar Jar looked out the front window and squealed. "Monsters back!!" He began to babble.

Qui-Gon laid a hand on Jar Jar's shoulder as Obi-Wan maneuvered around the Kreetch Eel. "Relax."

Jar Jar slumped in his seat. Inu-Yasha leaned forward slightly to look at the Gungan. "Finally, he's quiet."

"Inu-Yasha!" Sango slapped the back of his head while Sirius tried to move his hands around her waist again. She felt this and elbowed him in the chest. "You're worse than the monk."

Qui-Gon leaned forward and pointed to an outcropping. "Head to that outcropping."

Obi-Wan maneuvered the vessel to the new outcropping as Jar Jar recovered and before they knew it they had risen to the top of a river. The windows disappeared as they stood to look upon the beautiful city of Theed. Inu-Yasha glanced behind them when he heard the roar of the waterfalls.

"I think we had best get over there." Inu-Yasha motioned to the shore. "I'll take Sango, Miroku, and the Gungan."

"His name is Jar Jar. Please remember that." Tori glared at Inu-Yasha while Kirara meowed softly in her arms.

"Feh!" Inu-Yasha crouched for Miroku and Jar Jar to climb on as the vessel started to move toward the waterfalls. "See you over there." He grabbed Sango and bounded to the shore.

James, Lily, Remus, and Sirius disappeared with soft pops while Sessho-Maru turned to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. "You will hold on tight." He scooped Tori into his arms as the Jedi climbed onto his back moments before he jumped to the shore.

"Well, we're all here and accounted for." Tori held onto Sessho-Maru's arm after he placed her onto her feet. "Now what do we do?"

"Well we wanted to get to Theed to warn this queen person, right?" James looked around the nodding group. "Shouldn't we be going to save her?"

"Yes. We must warn her of the Trade Federation's intentions and take her to Coruscant to get help." Qui-Gon started toward the gates. "Follow me."

Tori placed Kirara onto the ground before racing after Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Sessho-Maru's gaze never left Tori's slight form as she raced up the stairs beside Lily and Sango. Tori peered around the corner looking for droids. No droids and no guards. I've got a bad feeling about all this.