United in Battle

Chapter 6

Qui-Gon stood before the group and placed a hand on the top of R2-D2. "Miroku, Remus, Lord Sessho-Maru, Jar Jar, Inu-Yasha, and Tori will come with me to find the parts we need." Qui-Gon stopped before Sessho-Maru. "I suggest you change. I'm sure the Naboo have some clothing that will fit you."

Sessho-Maru followed Qui-Gon from the room. Tori shoved the blaster into the waistband of her pants. Inu-Yasha was watching Tori when Tori turned around to face him.

"What are you staring at, dog breath?" Tori flung herself into one of the chairs.

"Not a damn thing, bitch." Inu-Yasha leaned against the wall as James and Sirius smirked.

"This is going to be good." James stepped back slightly as he looked between the two combatants.

"Who exactly do you think you are calling a bitch?" Tori's crystal blue eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Five Galleons on Tori." Sirius smiled broadly.

"I'll take that bet." James laughed as Tori climbed to her feet.

"You." Inu-Yasha's golden eyes swept over Tori's slender body. "What makes you think that you're worthy of being the Lady of the Western Lands? Or even the mate of my brother?"

"I never told your brother to mark me as his mate. He never even told me what this blasted mark on my neck means. Sango told me." Tori rubbed the mark slightly. "But now that I know, I think I can try to be a worthy person for your brother and his lands." She flipped her sandy blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Feh! I just want to be sure you know what you're getting into by becoming his mate." Inu-Yasha glared at Tori.

Tori clenched her fists tightly at her sides as her anger mounted. "You are an asshole, Inu-Yasha!" Tori slammed her left fist against Inu-Yasha's chin flinging him into the wall.

"Nice left hook." Sirius took the five golden coins from James. "Sorry, Prongs, old boy. But I know what happens when a woman gets pissed at a man."

"I have to tell Chief Raider that the boxing lessons came in handy." Tori stood over Inu-Yasha and glared down at him. "Your brother is able to make his own decisions. If you don't like them then take it up with him."

"Lioness would like her." James shook his head slightly.

Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Sessho-Maru stepped back into the room as Inu-Yasha climbed to his feet, growling at Tori. Sessho-Maru picked his brother up by the collar of his kimono. "Stay away from my mate."

"You keep her away from me." Inu-Yasha pointed at the bruise starting to forming on his chin.

"Enough." Qui-Gon stepped between the two brothers. "We will need peace for this mission."

"If you can keep Inu-Yasha from me, then there'll be peace." Tori grinned as Sessho-Maru dropped Inu-Yasha. Her crystal blue eyes swept over his muscular body. She took in the dark navy tunic with his tail draped over his shoulder, loose fitting pants, and knee high boots. "You look really great in that." Tori stepped around Qui-Gon and straightened Sessho-Maru's tunic slightly. "I just love the boa."

"It is my tail." Growling slightly, Sessho-Maru pulled Tori flush with his body and kissed her. He felt Tori's body relax against his before pulling away slightly. "My mate." His growls hid what he was saying next. You will be my mate. Soon.

Qui-Gon cleared his throat making Tori and Sessho-Maru jump apart. "We will need to keep together when we get to the settlement."

Tori grabbed a dark poncho and pulled it over her head. "I guess we should get going."

Qui-Gon nodded slightly. "Yes. Let us start out." He watched Tori grab a pack and slung it over her shoulder. He led the group off the ship. "R2 has the list of the parts we need."

"Good. The sooner we get to Coruscant, the sooner we can go home." Inu-Yasha bounded past Qui-Gon.

Tori coughed slightly at the dust he had kicked up. "In a hurry for nothing, dog breath?"

Sessho-Maru half-turned when he picked up Padme and Captain Panaka's scents. "We've got company."

Qui-Gon turned, as did Tori, Miroku, and Jar Jar. Remus crossed his arms and waited for the two people approaching the departing group. "Captain Panaka, what do you need?"

"Her highness requests you take her handmaiden with you." Captain Panaka motioned to Padme.

"This is not a picnic." Qui-Gon turned his back on Captain Panaka.

"The Queen is curious about the planet." Captain Panaka pulled Padme forward.

"Come on, Qui-Gon. I'm the only girl and I know I'm going to need someone to complain to when dog breath annoys me." Tori winked at Padme all the while smiling sweetly at Qui-Gon. "Let her come."

"Fine." Qui-Gon started across the barren landscape. "Stay close and listen to what I say."

"Of course, Master Jedi." Padme rolled her eyes slightly making Tori giggle. "Come on, Tori. We wouldn't want to fall behind."

"You're right." Tori smiled slightly. "Last one to catch up has to give Miroku a kiss." Tori started to jog across the desert.

"No thanks." Padme raced after Tori.

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

James and Sirius helped Obi-Wan pull out the old hyperdrive. Lily stepped into the engine room with a tray of drinks and snacks.

"Time for a break, boys." Lily smiled softly as Obi-Wan wiped his greasy hands on a rag and took the tray from Lily. "Thank you, Obi-Wan."

Sirius dragged his greasy right hand across his forehead leaving a greasy streak in its wake. "Looks good, Tiger Lily."

"Tiger Lily?" Obi-Wan grabbed a sandwich. "Are you also an Animagi?"

"Animagus and no I'm not." Lily blushed slightly. "Sirius only calls me Tiger Lily because I was always beating him over the head."

"Only because Lioness always starts it." Sirius bit into his sandwich.

"Tell me the one time you didn't deserve it." Lily's emerald eyes narrowed slightly.

"Um...Prongs, want to help me out here?" Sirius glanced over at James.

James looked between his best friend and his fiancée. "I don't think so."

Lily whirled around on her heel and stomped out of the engine room. James shook his head slightly.

"Geez, Padfoot. You always did know how to piss off Lily." James finished his drink. "Come on. Let's get back to work."

Obi-Wan looked back at the door before retuning to work.

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

Koga leaned against the bar in a dimly lit cantina. He guzzled down a drink as several beings came in from the bright sunshine outside. He recognized one of the more popular junk dealers.

"Hey, Watto!" Koga waved to the Toydarian.

"Koga! Win your last bet?" Watto landed on the stool beside Koga.

"Sure did. I wish you'd let me buy Skywalker and her son." Koga sipped on his new drink.

"Not a chance. The boy is useful and his mother has her uses." Watto laughed cruelly.

Koga growled softly. "I'll see you later. I might place my bets for the Boota Eve race."

"Betting on Sebulba?"

"Nope. I think I'll see who else is racing." Koga finished off the drink. "Don't you have a junk shop to run?"

"As soon as I get a drink." Watto waved to Koga. "Come by later."

"Sure." Koga stepped out into the brilliant sunlight.

He carefully made his way through the spaceport. He stopped for a moment when he thought he saw a flash of red and silver. He shook his head slightly and continued to the building he was renting. He stopped when he saw Watto fly past him. He smiled slightly as he followed the junk dealer back to his shop. He leaned against a wall of another building and watched the shop. He saw an older man wearing a tan poncho step into the shop. He watched as two young women and a blue and white droid followed after him. Koga almost raced over to the shop when he saw Sessho-Maru and Miroku entered the shop after the women. An orange creature and another man waited outside the door for a moment when Inu-Yasha landed beside them. They all stepped into the cooler junk shop.

Well, well, well. Inu-Yasha, Miroku, and Sessho-Maru are here. The kids will love to hear about this. Koga started toward the shop. I wonder if I should tell them about the kids wanting to help them.

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

Qui-Gon led the small group through the cluttered shop. Watto looked up as the bell jingled slightly.

"Can I help you?" Watto's wings fluttered as he moved toward the group.

"I need the parts for a J-type 327 Nubian." Qui-Gon stepped closer to Watto.

"Ah! Nubian! We have lots of that."

"Good. My droid has a read out of what I need." Qui-Gon turned as a sandy haired boy raced in from the back.

"Watch the shop. I have trading to do." Watto led Qui-Gon and R2 out to the back.

Qui-Gon turned to Jar Jar. "Don't touch anything."

The boy watched Tori and Padme for a moment. "Are the two of you angels?"

Sessho-Maru growled slightly. Stay away from my mate.

"Sessho-Maru..." Tori tilted her head slightly to gaze at him. "He's only a boy." She glided toward Sessho-Maru and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Besides I like big, strong, handsome demons with fluffy tails, not small boys." She pulled his lips down to hers.

He growled with pleasure as he slid his tongue across her lips begging for entry. Tori's lips parted allowing him entry. Remus cleared his throat slightly.

"We have a child standing nearby." Miroku leaned against his staff.

Sessho-Maru didn't move his hands from Tori's back. "He can get his own woman."

Tori turned in Sessho-Maru's arms and faced the boy. "What were you asking us?"

"I wanted to know if you are both angels." Anakin Skywalker blushed slightly. "I heard the deep space pilots talking about them. They live on the moons of Iego, I think."

"I've never heard of angels." Padme blushed as Tori shifted slightly in Sessho-Maru's arms.

"On my world, angels are celestial beings that help God do good deeds." Tori smiled at the boy as Sessho-Maru nibbled along Tori's neck. "What's your name?"

"Anakin Skywalker." Anakin blushed slightly.

"Tell me brat. Why would you think she's an angel?" Inu-Yasha glared at Tori from his perch near the door.

"She's beautiful." Anakin tightened his grip on a wrench as the door opened. "Master Koga!"

Koga stepped into the dimly lit shop. "Still torturing children, Mutt face?"

"Shit! What are you doing here, you flea bitten wolf?" Inu-Yasha's hand went to his sword.

"Enough!" Padme stepped between Koga and Inu-Yasha.

"M...m...mutt...f...f...face." Tori clapped a hand over her mouth to keep her laughter down. She turned and buried her face into Sessho-Maru's chest, her body shaking with suppressed laughter.

Inu-Yasha growled slightly at Koga. "Had to call me that. Now I'll never live it down."

"I see you made it away from those droids." Koga leaned against the counter.

"Feh! It was easy." Inu-Yasha turned to face Jar Jar who was fighting with a droid.

Anakin and Padme watched him for a moment. Koga laughed as Jar Jar tried to shake the droid enough to shut it down.

"Where'd you find him?" Koga continued laughing at Jar Jar.

Padme picked up a hydrospanner and threw it at Koga. "Leave Jar Jar alone!"

"Wench!" Koga rubbed his forehead as he stalked toward Padme.

Remus jumped between Padme and Koga and growled slightly. "Her name is Padme and you will leave her alone."

Anakin turned back to Jar Jar who was still fighting the droid. "Hit the nose."

Jar Jar hit the nose of the droid causing it to fold back up.

Qui-Gon stepped back into the shop. "We're leaving."

Tori looked up at Qui-Gon. "We will find them else where." Qui-Gon quickly left the shop.

Koga watched as the rest of the group followed him. "Did I do something?"

"I don't think so, Master Koga." Anakin turned as Watto fluttered back into the shop.

"Koga! Good to see you. What can I help you with?" Watto stood on a stool.

"What did those people need?" Koga jumped up onto the counter.

"Parts for a ship." Watto watched Koga's eyes stray toward the door.

"I'm going." Koga jumped from the counter. "See you at dinner, Anakin!" Koga hurried out the door and glanced around the street. Damn. They've disappeared.

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

Qui-Gon pulled out a comlink and flipped it on. "Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan's voice came from the comlink. "Yes, Master?"

"What of value do we have on the ship?" Qui-Gon looked around the group.

"Some cargo. The Queen's wardrobe maybe but not in the amounts you're talking about." Obi-Wan sounded worried.

"Maybe another way will present itself." Qui-Gon pocketed the comlink. "Come on. Let's move."

"No way!" Jar Jar jumped to the back of the group. "Da beings here abouts crazy nuts. We goen be robbed and crunched."

"Fish breath, don't you get it?" Inu-Yasha knocked his fist on Jar Jar's head. "We ain't got anything of value."

Inu-Yasha dragged Jar Jar out into the street. Remus and Miroku followed as Sessho-Maru draped his right arm over Tori's shoulders and Padme grabbed his left hand. Thank Kami that Kagome healed my arm. A scream echoed across the marketplace.

Jar Jar was being held down by Dug. Sessho-Maru and Inu-Yasha each pulled their swords. Miroku held his staff ready to hit the Dug and Remus had his wand pointed at the creature as Anakin stepped up.

"Careful, Sebulba. He's a powerful off worlder as you can tell by his friends." Anakin smirked as he motioned to the four men aiming their weapons at the Dug.

"Just wait until the next time we race, slave." Sebulba growled at Anakin.

"Sebulba, I look forward to it." Anakin smirked again as Sebulba stalked off. "You're lucky he didn't turn you into a puddle of orange goo."

Padme hurried to Jar Jar's side. "Are you okay, Jar Jar?"

"Mesa okeyday." Jar Jar climbed to his feet.

"Thank you, Anakin." Tori felt Sessho-Maru's arm tighten slightly around her.

"You're welcome." Anakin blushed slightly.

"Do you know of another junk shop we could get the parts for our ship?" Inu-Yasha slid his sword away.

"Watto's the only place to find the parts for your ship." Anakin rubbed the back of his neck.

"Man." Remus swept his hand across his forehead. "It's hot here."

Tori swung her pack to the ground. She rummaged through it until she pulled out several bottles of water. "Good thing I thought ahead." She passed out the bottles.

"Why did you not tell me that you were carrying a pack?" Sessho-Maru hefted the pack.

"Honey, I'm used to wearing a Kevlar vest as well as my gear. This pack weighs next to nothing for me." Tori smiled as Sessho-Maru's tail twitched slightly.

"I do not care. My mate is never to work hard." Sessho-Maru pulled her flush with her body. My mate.

Tori smiled softly as she laid her head on his shoulder. "Your mate."

"Knock it off, you stupid bakas!" Inu-Yasha pulled Tori from Sessho-Maru's embrace.

"Keep your hands to yourself, mutt face." Tori kicked Inu-Yasha's leg.

"Bitch!" Inu-Yasha's claws extended slightly as Sessho-Maru stepped between them.

"I have chosen my mate, brother. You would be wise to accept her." His growls echoed across the plaza.

"Enough, darlin'." Tori laid a hand on Sessho-Maru's shoulder. "I think he's learned his lesson."

Sessho-Maru gave on last growl before pulling Tori to him again. Anakin smiled at the loving couple.

"Come on. I'll show you around." Anakin grabbed Padme's hand and pulled her down the street.

Qui-Gon hurried after them. Remus and Miroku both shrugged as they hurried after Qui-Gon. Tori gasped as Inu-Yasha knelt before her. She looked over her shoulder at Sessho-Maru, who nodded. She climbed on Inu-Yasha's back. Jar Jar hurried after Qui-Gon as Inu-Yasha and Sessho-Maru bounded after the group.

Tori buried her face into Inu-Yasha's shoulder to keep the sand from hitting her eyes. He must be really sorry if he's letting me ride on his back. Hell, he's probably only doing this to keep Sessho-Maru from killing him. She glanced up as Inu-Yasha stopped. She climbed from his back only to be assaulted by a fierce gust of wind. "Damn wind."

Sessho-Maru pulled her closer as Anakin handed them each a pallie. The old woman watched the strange group for a moment. "Oh, Annie. My bones are aching. A storm's coming." The old woman rubbed the joints of her legs. "You had better be getting home."

"Do you have shelter?" Anakin turned his back slightly as a strong gust of wind hit him.

"We'll head back to our ship." Padme adverted her face from the stinging sand.

"Is it far?" Anakin started down the street.

"It's on the outskirts." Sessho-Maru turned Tori closer to his chest.

"You'll never make it. Sandstorms are dangerous." Anakin grabbed Padme's hand pulling her down the street. "You can stay with me and my mother. Come on."

Sessho-Maru swung Tori onto his back as the others followed the small boy. Tori buried her face against the his fluffy tail causing a growl to rumble through his throat. Anakin pulled Padme into a house followed by Qui-Gon, Jar Jar, Remus, Inu-Yasha, Miroku, and Sessho-Maru still carrying Tori.

"Mom, I'm home." Anakin pushed the door closed.

"Good I was beginning to worry." Shmi Skywalker stepped from the kitchen. She stopped when she saw the group standing near the door. "Oh. I didn't know Anakin had brought company.
"Your son offered us shelter from the storm." Qui-Gon reached into his utility belt and pulled out some food capsules. "These should help with this evening's meal."

"Thank you, um..."

"I'm Qui-Gon Jinn. These are my companions, Miroku, Remus, Jar Jar, Lord Sessho-Maru, Tori, Padme, and Inu-Yasha." Qui-Gon bowed slightly.

"A pleasure to meet you all." Shmi took the capsules to kitchen area.

Tori followed after her. "Allow me to help."

"Thank you." Shmi moved to one side to allow Tori access to the kitchen.

Padme followed Anakin to look at the droid he was making. Sessho-Maru and Inu-Yasha withdrew Tetsusaiga and Tokijin and began polishing them while Miroku meditated. Remus sat at the table and stared at his picture of Veronica and his friends. Jar Jar just stood by the door while Qui-Gon watched Tori and Shmi working in the kitchen. The front door slid open allowing some sand to swirl into the room. Inu-Yasha sniffed the air slightly.

"Koga." He jumped to his feet brandishing his sword.

Koga closed the door. "Hello, Mutt face."

"Koga, please be nice to our guests." Shmi smiled softly at Koga.

"For you, Shmi, anything." Koga dropped into a chair.

"How did you get here, Koga?" Miroku watched Koga lean back in the chair.

"I snuck on board the ship when you were captured. I also brought Rin and Shippo with me." Koga smirked slightly as Sessho-Maru climbed to his feet and stalked toward Koga.

"You stupid wolf." Sessho-Maru's claws dug into Koga's neck and lifted him from the chair. "You put Rin in danger." He shook Koga slightly. "Where is she?"

"She's...on...Coruscant...with...Shippo." Koga fell into a heap as Sessho-Maru dropped him.

"Where on Coruscant?" Inu-Yasha watched as Tori stepped from the kitchen wiping her hands on a towel.

"The Jedi Temple. A little green imp promised to care for them." Koga wiped at the blood on his neck.

Tori knelt next to Koga. "Hold still." She wiped the towel over the shallow wounds.

"Master Yoda will take care of the children." Qui-Gon watched Tori gently clean the wounds.

"You know the imp Koga speaks about?" Sessho-Maru turned to face the Jedi.

Qui-Gon nodded slightly. "Yes. He was my Master when I first arrived at the Temple."

Tori climbed to her feet and made her back into the kitchen as Padme and Anakin stepped into the room. Shmi followed her and started to bring the meal to the table. Tori and Padme followed her example and proceeded to feed the men.