United in Battle

Chapter 5

The oddball group edged along the balcony as a group of humans and droids walked down the street. Tori checked the charge on her blaster while Remus and Lily were trying to get James and Sirius to behave. Qui-Gon watched the approaching group for a moment before turning to Obi-Wan and nodding slightly. Tori was slung onto Sessho-Maru's back as Inu-Yasha picked up Sango. It seemed as if the whole group had jumped as one when they vaulted over the railing of balcony. Jar Jar hung from the railing while Tori jumped from Sessho-Maru's back and began to blast the droids. The Queen gasped as Kirara transformed into her full form and ripped through several droids. Remus and Lily fired hex after hex at the droids. Sango didn't throw her Hiraikotsu preferring to use it as a club to take down the droids. Miroku used his staff to take the heads off of several droids while Sessho-Maru and Inu-Yasha ripped the wires from the droids' bodies. James and Sirius had changed into their animal forms and were helping Kirara keep the droids from the Queen and her handmaidens. Obi-Wan's and Qui-Gon's lightsabers sliced through the droids as Jar Jar finally dropped from the balcony. Tori's roundhouse kick took the final droid's head off as Sessho-Maru's hand made its way to Tokijin. Tori shook her sandy blonde hair away from her slightly sweaty cheek.

"That's it for those bastards." She slid the blaster into the back of her jeans. "What I wouldn't give for a holster right now."

"Get the blasters." Captain Panaka scooped up one of the blasters as the other guards grabbed the others.

Qui-Gon bowed to the Queen. "We must leave the street, Your Highness."

Sessho-Maru and Inu-Yasha kept their eyes on the fallen droids as the group moved down an alleyway. Inu-Yasha jumped up onto a balcony as Sessho-Maru kept watch near the entrance to the alley. The older man glared at Qui-Gon as Lily checked James, Sirius, and Kirara for any electrical burns.

"I swear the two of you will be the death of me!" Lily slapped James across the back of his shoulder. "Couldn't hit those things with curses, could you? Had to get your little hands on them!"

Sirius leaned close to James. "Are you sure you want to marry that?" Lily's fist hit his head. "OWW! Tiger Lily, stop!! I give!"

Lily growled as Qui-Gon turned to the Queen. "I apologize for them, Your Highness. Most of them do have manners."

"Are you the ambassadors that Chancellor Valorum sent?" Sio Bibble continued to glare at Qui-Gon, not noticing as he did that Inu-Yasha had started to growl at him.

"We are." Qui-Gon threw Inu-Yasha a look that said 'Not now.'

"It appears that your negotiations failed." Sio Bibble glare intensified.

"Negotiations never took place." Qui-Gon's calm face did nothing to calm Inu-Yasha.

How dare that guy? Doesn't he realize we just saved his life? Inu-Yasha's growls intensified as he watched Sio Bibble insult Qui-Gon.

"We need to get back to the palace and get Nute Gunray out of the throne room." Sio Bibble turned to Captain Panaka. "I trust you can handle it."

"I happen to think you need to shut your stupid mouth. Qui-Gon will tell us what to do." Inu-Yasha jumped from his perch and growled at Sio Bibble making him shiver slightly with fear.

Tori rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Inu-Yasha."

"Make me." Inu-Yasha turned slightly and growled at her.

"Quiet!" Qui-Gon shook his head as he turned back to the Queen. "Your Highness, I suggest that you go to Coruscant and plead your case with the Senate."

"I will not leave my people to suffer." Queen Amidala turned to start back to the street.

"Your Highness." Tori stepped toward her and bowed. "I know you feel that your place is here with your people but you have to understand that you have to free your people if you don't want them to suffer."

"My people elected me as their Queen and it is my place to suffer with them." Queen Amidala placed a hand on the older woman's shoulder.

"I know you think that but do you really think that your people want you to die with them? Especially when you have a chance to free them all from the tyranny of these nutballs?" Tori held out her hand and waited until the Queen gripped it.

"It will be dangerous." Queen Amidala turned to her handmaidens.

"We are brave, Your Highness." One of the handmaidens stepped forward slightly.

"I will not put you in danger unless it is necessary, Padme." Queen Amidala noticed Padme's slight nod.

"We put ourselves into the danger, Your Highness." Padme bowed again as Tori took in the exchange.

"Well? Are you going to Coruscant or are we going to stand here all day?" James looked between the women.

"Yeah, not that I'm not enjoying the view." Sirius yelped as Tori's foot landed against his rear. "That hurt!"

"Be nice or your ass isn't the only thing that's going to hurt." Tori cracked her knuckles slightly.

Sirius gulped and tried to hide behind Qui-Gon. "Don't let her hurt me."

Queen Amidala cleared her throat causing everyone, except Sessho-Maru, to look over at her. "I will go to Coruscant and plead our case to the Senate." She turned to Sio Bibble. "Be safe."

Sio Bibble turned to the handmaidens. "Keep the Queen safe."

It seemed like the Queen was getting orders from that Padme girl. Tori raised an eyebrow as she turned to Sessho-Maru. I wonder if Sessho-Maru noticed anything strange.

"We need to get to the hangers." Qui-Gon watched as Captain Panaka started down the alley.

"Follow me. We'll use the Queen's transport." Captain Panaka led them down the alley and several twisting corridors.

Sessho-Maru ran beside Tori, trying to keep his demon speed under control. "Are you hurt, my mate?"

"No. And stop calling me your mate." Tori rolled her eyes as she reached for her blaster.

The group had finally stopped outside the hanger doors. Captain Panaka and Qui-Gon looked through the crack. Captain Panaka saw a group of pilots huddled at the far side of the hanger.

"We need to free those pilots." Captain Panaka turned to Qui-Gon. "We'll need them to pilot the ship."

"Of course." Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan who nodded slightly.

"I'll take care of it." Obi-Wan pulled out his lightsaber as Inu-Yasha stopped him.

"You mean we'll take care of it. I'm not letting you have all the fun." Inu-Yasha cracked his knuckles slightly.

Obi-Wan smiled as Tori rolled her eyes. Sessho-Maru's right hand inched closer to Tokijin while Miroku held his staff ready. Kirara jumped up into Queen Amidala's arms calming the nervous Queen almost immediately. Padme's hands itched to get her hands on a blaster to help but knew that these strangers would protect them since it seemed as if some of the men were closing around them. James and Sirius transformed into their Animagi forms. Prongs' hoof hit the permacrete in agitation beside Rabe, one of the handmaidens, while Padfoot sat on his haunches next to Eirtae, another of the handmaidens. Remus stretched slightly as the hanger doors opened to reveal the group to the droids. Sessho-Maru could smell the fear radiating off of Lily as she gripped her wand tightly. As one, the group started forward until they were stopped by a droid with yellow markings. It didn't seem to notice that Obi-Wan and Inu-Yasha had moved toward the pilots.

The droid held up one its hands signaling the group to stop. "Where are you taking these people?"

"I am ambassador to the Supreme Chancellor. I'm taking these people with me to Coruscant." Qui-Gon's hand slowly reached for his lightsaber as the droid tried to compute the information.

"Um...Where?"

"To Coruscant." The lightsaber was in his hand and his finger was on the button as the droid raised its blaster.

"Uh...Wait! You're under..." The rest of the sentence died as Qui-Gon's lightsaber sliced its head off.

Tori blasted several droids as she raced for the ramp of the ship. Sirius and James ripped through the droids that came close to the handmaidens as Sango sliced through them with her Hiraikotsu. Miroku used his staff as the droids came after him. Sessho-Maru barely heard anything when he saw Tori's leg get hit with a stray bolt of energy. His roar echoed through the hanger as he started to tear through the droids trying to get to Tori's side. She raised her blaster and shot the offending droid but not before getting hit across her shoulder with another bolt. Lily knelt next to her and formed a shield around them to protect Tori as Remus fired several cruses at the droids. Obi-Wan and Inu-Yasha had finally freed the pilots as Sessho-Maru got to Tori's side.

"Move it!!" Obi-Wan sliced through another droid.

The pilots raced through the battle and hurried up the ramp of the ship as Sessho-Maru, carrying Tori, Lily, and Remus hurried up the ramp behind them. Miroku, James, and Sirius ushered the handmaidens up the ramp as Inu-Yasha swung the Queen onto his back and raced up the ramp. Sango hurried up the ramp moments before Obi-Wan sliced through a droid trying to follow them. Qui-Gon finished off the last droid and calmly walked up the ramp. The head pilot hit the switch to close the ramp and raced toward the cockpit.

Ric Olie stopped for a moment when he saw Tori moaning in pain in Sessho-Maru's arms. "She okay?"

"She is fine." Sessho-Maru could barely contain his growls. "Get us the hell out of here."

"Got ya!" Ric raced down the corridor trying not to listen to the raging dog demon.

"You were to protect her!" With Sessho-Maru's hands full with Tori, he couldn't strangle anyone so he settled for yelling at them. "She could have died!"

Tori moaned slightly causing Sessho-Maru to look down at her pale face. "Stop it. It...wasn't their...fault. Those metal...freaks...just had.... better aim...than me." The pain finally overtook her and she collapsed against Sessho-Maru's chest.

"No!" Sessho-Maru gently shook his arms trying to wake Tori.

"Let me see." Lily moved closer to the angry demon and started to look over the wounds. "She'll be fine. I think the pain finally got to her."

Padme stepped from the shadows. "The Queen would like for you to use the medial area to tend to the wounded."

Lily nodded slightly as Sessho-Maru followed Padme to the medical area. Sango and Lily followed them while James and Sirius went to the cockpit. Remus and Miroku went down the corridor to explore this strange ship. Obi-Wan took Jar Jar to a room and left him with several droids. Sessho-Maru gently laid Tori down on the bed in the medical area as Padme hurried out of the room. Lily looked at the wound on Tori's shoulder while Sessho-Maru hovered behind her.

"Can't you go bother your brother or something?" Lily rolled her eyes slightly as Sessho-Maru growled at her. "I can't tend to her with you hovering like an overprotective father."

Sessho-Maru growled again slightly before straightening to his full six foot six inch height. "I will leave you to tend to my...Tori." He turned on his heel and stalked from the room nearly knocking Padme over as she returned with fresh clothes for Tori.

"What's his problem?" Padme helped Lily tend the shoulder wound.

"He's in love and won't admit it." Lily nodded as Padme covered the wound. "Now for the leg wound."

Padme picked up a pair of scissors and sliced through the tough fabric. "Our soldiers would love to have some of this material."

"No they wouldn't. It's tough but not tougher than dragon hide." Lily cleaned the wound as the ship lurched to one side. "What the hell are those stupid men doing now? Trying to kill us all?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sessho-Maru growled as the ship lurched to one side. I must keep my anger under control. These people don't need to see my true form. He stalked down the corridor and into the cockpit to total mayhem. Ric Olie was trying to avoid the blaster fire as a beeping filled the cockpit.

"Shit! We just lost the shields!" Ric swerved to avoid the blaster fire.

"I'm sending out the droids." Obi-Wan hit a button near him just as Sessho-Maru stalked over to him.

"Are you sure these droids we can trust?" Sessho-Maru bent slightly to watch the droids on the screen.

"Positive. Those little guys are loyal to the Queen." Ric Olie barely glanced at the screen as he steered the ship.

"I feel bad saying this but we just lost one." James looked up from his screen.

"Shit! There goes another one." Sirius looked over at Sessho-Maru. "You're just bad luck for us, Sessho-Maru."

"It is not my fault." Sessho-Maru's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the screen. "We still have one droid."

Another beeping filled the cockpit. Ric Olie glanced over at the readouts. "Shields are back. That little droid did it."

"Good. Now can you get us the bloody hell out of here?" James watched as Ric Olie hit the hyperdrive sending him and Sirius flying from their seats. "Whoa! Nice kick!"

Ric Olie ignored him while he looked at the readouts on the controls. "Well, you're lucky there was a kick. Hyperdrive is failing. We need to land somewhere to repair it."

Obi-Wan looked up from his monitor. "Master."

Qui-Gon moved over to him. "Tatooine. It's remote and out of the way. Best of all... the Trade Federation has no control there."

Captain Panaka looked over at Qui-Gon. "How do you know that?"

"Because it's run by the Hutts."

"They're worse than the Trade Federation. If they capture the Queen..."

"It'll be no worse than if the Trade Federation were to have her." Qui-Gon crossed his arms.

James smiled slightly. "We do have one advantage." Everyone in the cockpit looked over at him. "The Hutts have no idea that we have the Queen or that she's even there."

"Perhaps we should bring this up with the Queen." Captain Panaka whirled around on his heel and marched out of the cockpit while the others followed him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Queen Amidala stood beside the bed Tori was propped up in. "I hope that you are healed Mistress."

"I feel better now." Tori sat up a bit further while pulling the sheet up with her. "I'd like to find out what is going on."

"We will meet with Captain Panaka in a few moments." Queen Amidala moved to the door and left the room.

Tori, still holding the sheet, carefully climbed from the bed. She grabbed the clothes slung across the foot of the bed. She turned her back to the door as she pulled the tunic over her shoulders. Sessho-Maru opened the door just as Tori bent over to pull the pants over her ankles giving him a brief view of her panties. He coughed slightly to let her know that he was there. Tori jumped and whirled around to face him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Tori clenched her fists at her side. "You are supposed to knock before you enter. Especially when a woman is getting dressed."

"Lily told me that you were healed so I wished to see you. I knew nothing about you getting dressed." Sessho-Maru took a step toward Tori making her step back.

"Well, next time knock first." Tori crossed her arms over her chest.

Sessho-Maru stepped toward Tori making her back up against the bed. He caught her before she tumbled over the bed. "You are my mate. I would never hurt you."

"I know that you wouldn't hurt me but I wish you would stop calling me your mate." Tori blushed as she felt his chest muscled rippling under her hands.

"I am Inu. You are my mate." Sessho-Maru lowered his face to where her neck and shoulder met. His lips caressed her skin slightly.

Tori moaned slightly. "Sessho-Maru."

My mate. Sessho-Maru growled slightly as he scraped his fangs over her skin marking her as his.

"Your mate." Tori moaned as she felt his fangs scraping her skin.

Inu-Yasha stepped into the room and saw his brother holding Tori close to his body. He cleared his throat making Sessho-Maru turn slightly and growl at him.

"The Queen is waiting for us." Inu-Yasha watched as Tori straightened her tunic slightly.

Sessho-Maru pulled Tori to him one last time and kissed her deeply. He placed her back on her feet and kept his hand on her waist. "Let us go to the Queen."

Tori swayed slightly as they moved through the ship. Her hand rubbed lightly over the crescent moon shaped mark that Sessho-Maru had scraped into her skin as they entered the Queen's chambers. She didn't notice that Lily, Sango, and Padme were watching her closely. Queen Amidala was sitting in a chair as everyone sat around the room. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, James, and Sirius followed Captain Panaka into the room. Tori shook her head slightly and looked over at Captain Panaka's angry face. Her gaze slid to the droid following in behind them. James kissed Lily hello while Remus settled himself into the corner. Sirius sank to the floor while Miroku joined him in watching the women move around the room. Sango sank onto the bench beside Tori as Jar Jar and Inu-Yasha joined them.

"What has happened, Captain Panaka?" Queen Amidala gazed at him.

"This little droid saved our lives. If he hadn't gotten the shields back, we might not have made it." Captain Panaka motioned to the droid.

"What is his number?"

Captain Panaka rubbed a bit of grime from the droid's body. "R2-D2."

"Thank you, R2-D2." Queen Amidala turned slightly to her handmaidens. "Padme, please see that R2-D2 is cleaned up." Padme bowed slightly before she moved to place a hand on the droid. "Is there anything else?"

Qui-Gon stepped forward. "Your Highness, with your permission, we will be landing on Tatooine to repair the hyperdrive."

"I don't agree with the Jedi on this. You will be in danger, Your Highness." Captain Panaka ignored Sessho-Maru and Inu-Yasha's growls.

"If the Jedi say that we will be safe then we will land to repair the ship." The Queen dismissed Captain Panaka.

Captain Panaka left the room in a huff while Padme followed with R2-D2. Lily, Sango, and Tori looked at each other and nodded before following Padme. Sessho-Maru whimpered softly and Tori turned around and placed a soft kiss on his lips. She hurried after the others as Inu-Yasha and Miroku broke out with broad grins. Sessho-Maru sighed as he turned to face all the guys.

"What?" He looked from face to face.

"Oh he's so whipped." James nodded and Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

"At least his girl isn't trying to make him sit all the time." Inu-Yasha turned to Miroku.

"Or slap him senseless." Miroku rubbed his cheek.

"Hey. Leave him alone. At least he's got a girl which is more than I can say for the rest of you." Remus stalked out of the room.

"Did we do something?" Sirius looked over at James who shrugged slightly.

Sessho-Maru growled once a the others and hurried after Remus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tori leaned back in the seat as Padme moved about the cabin. Lily and Sango sat on the floor trying to pry off several pieces of metal from R2-D2.

"Sweet Merlin. These things are tougher than a troll's hide." Lily managed to pry a piece off and tumbled backwards.

"My village is used to this kind of stuff but this is ridiculous." Sango tugged on a stubborn piece.

Padme dropped several rags onto the floor. Tori sank to the floor and helped rub the dirt from the little droid.

"I noticed something today, Padme." Tori rubbed through a tough spot of grime.

"Hmmm?" Padme worked quickly.

"Yeah. Why did the Queen have to get your permission to go to Coruscant?" Lily and Sango stopped working and looked at Tori. "What? Didn't you guys notice it?"

"I wasn't going to say anything but yeah." Lily looked over at the frozen Padme.

"Why would the Queen take orders from a handmaiden?" Padme climbed to her feet to retrieve more cleanser.

"I think she would take orders form you if you were the Queen and she were a decoy." Tori crossed her arms as R2-D2 whistled loudly.

Padme sighed slightly. "How did you figure it out?"

"I'm a crime scene investigator. It's my job. Besides all the clues were there." Tori smiled brightly.
"Let's not tell the guys. I think they should suffer a bit." Sango rubbed her hands together.

"Especially the Jedi." Lily stretched slightly before turning back to their job. "Let's finish this. I think Qui-Gon might need this little fellow."

Tori rubbed her neck and felt the mark that Sessho-Maru had put there. "Sango, is there a reason Sessho-Maru put this mark on me?"

"It's a demon trait. He has marked you as his mate. That means if another demon or human sees you, they'll know that you are the Lady of the Western Lands." Sango blushed slightly. "But in order for it to stick, you'll have to actually do something about it before the year runs out."

Tori blushed when she thought of holding Sessho-Maru so close. "I'm not too sure about that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sessho-Maru followed Remus' scent to the cargo hold. He noticed the young man staring at a picture. "You left in a bit of a huff."

"They pissed me off." Remus started to shove the picture in his pocket.

Sessho-Maru stopped him simply by extending his right hand. "May I?"

Remus looked down at the picture and shrugged. "Sure. Why not?" He laid the picture into Sessho-Maru's clawed hand.

Sessho-Maru's golden eyes skimmed the moving picture to land on the young lady standing next to Remus. "Is this woman your mate?"

Remus looked over his shoulder and stared at the beautiful young lady. "Yeah. She and I just graduated from school and are looking forward to having a happy life together."

"You will be together again." Sessho-Maru laid a hand on Remus' shoulder and smiled.

"Thanks, Lord Sessho-Maru." Remus grinned slightly. "You know I think Veronica would like you."

"I believe I would enjoy her company as well." Sessho-Maru moved toward the door. "I believe we must go and see if we are near our destination."

Sessho-Maru and Remus left the cargo hold and headed to the cockpit only to meet up with James, Sirius, Miroku, and Inu-Yasha.