Fur and the Force

Fur and the Force is a Star Wars crossover story by PrinceBalto.

Premise
In an alternate universe version of the Star Wars galaxy in which humans are completely non-existent (save for a few species of aliens that resemble them very strongly) and anthropomorphic mammals take their place and live alongside the aliens, Nick and Judy train as Jedi from childhood. However, when a Sith lord devastates a planet, the two must travel the galaxy and stop the Sith's evil. This uses the Star Wars expanded universe/legends continuity as a base and combines the stories of the Tales of the Jedi comic series, the Knights of the Old Republic games, The Old Republic online game and the Darth Bane novel trilogy along with a few ideas from the prequel trilogy in order to make something new. The plot is not the same as KOTOR, but ideas from it appear. This is also a Disney animal crossover, so characters like Shere Khan and others appear as well. Nick and Judy It is an exciting galactic adventure. What will happen? Read on to find out. Nick and Judy also fall in love.

Story
Ten-year old Judy Hopps stood in one of the rooms of Coruscant's Jedi temple, working hard on memorizing the Jedi code. She hoped to have a Jedi knight or master take her as a padawan very soon and she wanted to know the code perfectly.

"There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force..." she said yet again, now having lost count of how many times she had recited it.

She continued on memorizing the code. Just then, the door opened, and in walked two Jedi masters, Bagheera, a panther, and Akela, a wolf. Both were members of the Jedi high council, as well as masters of the legendary Jedi weapon, the lightsaber. Both also opted to use the traditional standard lightsaber. When ignited, Master Bagheera's lightsaber produced a blue blade, while Akela wielded a lightsaber with a yellow blade. With them was a male fox kit of about Judy's age, wearing ragged clothes. She could feel the Force within him. It was very strong. They were probably bringing him in here to announce that he would be trained. Seeing that Judy was the only one in the room, and seeing her looking at the fox, they called her over. Master Akela smiled.

"Judy, this is Nick Wilde. He is going to be a new Jedi student," he said.

Judy smiled at the kit, then saw his clothes.

"Hello. I'm Judy Hopps. I am from Chandrila. Where are you from?" she said, wondering what planet he was from.

Nick sighed.

"Nar Shaadaa," he said sadly.

Judy looked at him, wondering about his sad tone. Bagheera picked up on this.

"He is from a family of refugees from the last war. They were forced into a small slum by the Exchange crime syndicate, who would mistreat them and the others. As well, they were worried about the Exchange selling him as a slave to the Hutts. This is why Master Akela and I went there, to help those like them, even though that moon is controlled by the Hutts. There were also Republic citizens among them. We found Nick and his family, and, because they were still free, we were able to take them off planet. We knew of Nick's Force-sensitivity, and we brought him here," he said.

Judy nodded.

"Where are his parents?" she asked.

Master Akela looked at her.

"They came with him. They are now acquiring an apartment here on Coruscant. They are named Robin and Marian. Now, why are you in here alone?" he said.

Judy smiled.

"Memorizing the Jedi code, so I can get picked as a padawan," she said proudly.

Both Bagheera and Akela, who did not have padawans at the moment, shared a look.

"Yes, you are talented and you need one, as does Nick. Today, I take Nick Wilde as my padawan learner. Now, we just need to go to the Jedi council for approval," Bagheera said.

Akela looked at Judy.

"With the approval of the Jedi council, I take you, Judy Hopps, as my padawan learner. However, don't think that I will make it easy on you," he said.

Judy nodded. They went to the Jedi council and managed to get their approval. Now, two new Jedi were about to take their first steps into a larger world. Years had gone by. Nick and Judy were now in their twenties, and were skilled padawans, close to recieving their knighthood. They were both now armed with lightsabers of their own making: Nick wielded a standard lightsaber with a green blade, while Judy wielded a type of lightsaber with a short blade called a shoto due to her size. Hers had an orange blade. Deep inside was an attraction to one another that bordered on breaking Jedi rules: they were attracted to one another in the romantic sense, though they wouldn't admit it due to their devotion to the Jedi. Right now, Nick and Judy were sparring in one of the training rooms. Nick used the form of lightsaber combat known as Niman, while Judy used the style called Ataru. Nick made his move, with Judy leaping up and out of range.

"Ha! You'll have to do much better than that if you want to win, Nick!" she said.

Nick was about to respond when, all of a sudden, Nick gasped as he felt something terrible through the Force. Judy felt it too. Before long, Akela and Bagheera rushed in.

"Did you feel that?" Bagheera asked.

Nick nodded.

"What was it, Master?" he asked.

Bagheera sighed sadly.

"According to our spies in the Sith fleet, Darth Trucidus has ordered the orbital bombardment of the planet Taris," he said.

Nick and Judy's jaw dropped.

"But there are billions of beings on Taris, both mammal and alien..." Nick began.

Bagheera acknowledged this.

"You know that feeling you felt? That was all those beings dying," he said.

Judy wanted to cry, but didn't.

"But why?" she asked.

Akela was the next to speak.

"A Jedi was stuck there on Taris, and he destroyed the city in order to kill that Jedi. He didn't care that billions of beings, including his own soliders, enforcement agents and others, were on the surface," he said.

Judy was even more sad.

"What can be done?" she asked.

Bagheera sighed.

"Right now, all you can do is train. We are going to meet with the Jedi council about this," he said.

Nick and Judy both looked a bit disappointed as both masters left. However, they could only resume their sparring in order to one day be able to duel a Sith lord. Some days passed. Then, one day, Nick and Judy were called before the Jedi Council. The revered gathering of Jedi master mammals and aliens of both genders, twelve in all, looked at the young fox and bunny.

"Ah, the Jedi's star students stand before us," a male Zabrak Jedi master said.

Nick and Judy straightened themselves and smoothed their Jedi robes a bit. They were ready for anything that might be assigned to them, and they would face it bravely.

"What is it, most revered masters?" Judy asked.

The masters were ready to answer. This mission would start these two down the path of destiny.

"After several days of debate with your masters, we have decided that the time to end our battle against Darth Trucidus is here. Our mission to you is to go to the ocean-covered planet of Manaan, as both the Republic and the Sith have embassies there. We have reason to believe, based on what our spies among the Sith ranks that they are planning an attack on the planet, then, when they have won, replace the government with one of their own," a female wolf Jedi said.

Nick and Judy bowed.

"We won't let you down. When do we leave?" Nick said.

The female wolf Jedi gestured toward the door.

"Immediately. Go and get your supplies, and then head out to the main landing pad. There, you will find the freighter that we hired to transport you to Manaan. It's pilot is a Fennec fox named Finnick," she said.

Nick and Judy bowed once more, and then headed off. Gathering their supplies, they headed out. At the landing pad, they saw the freighter. Moments later, a male Fennec fox wearing a long-sleeved grey shirt, long-sleeved, long brown jacket, golden-brown pants, wide-brimmed, round hat and two blaster pistols and a vibroblade on his belt approached.

"Hello, my Jedi friends. I am Fennec, the pilot of this ship. It's called the Ebon Hawk, and it is the fastest ship in all of the galaxy. From the core worlds to the outer rim, no vessel is faster," he said.

He then gestured to four figures: a female Honey badger, a male Wookiee and two droids, a grey-white astromech and a bipedal droid with an orange paint job carrying a blaster rifle that neither Nick or Judy had ever seen before. Zaalbar roared a greeting.

"Meet the rest of the crew: my romantic companion Honey Honey Badger, our Wookiee friend Zaalbar and our two droids. The orange droid is HK-47, while the astromech is T3-M4," Finnick said.

Honey, wearing a simple grey spacer's shirt and brown pants and boasting a blaster pistol and vibro smiled. She felt compelled to speak up about HK.

"Just ignore HK sometimes. Let's just say that he has picked up some rather...interesting views on organic beings over time," she said.

Judy looked at her. She wondered what the Honey badger could mean by that. However, Finnick began to speak to the group, interrupting the bunny's thoughts.

"All right, shall we get going? I am sure the Jedi council doesn't want you just stand around on the landing pad not getting anything done," he said with a smile.

Everyone began loading up into the Ebon Hawk. During that whole period, Nick and Judy said nothing to anyone, letting Finnick get into the pilot's seat. The Ebon Hawk lifted off from Coruscant and set off into space, heading into hyperspace en route to the Pyrshak system, the star system in which Manaan was located. Once everyone had settled in, Judy felt comfortable talking again. She looked at Finnick and Honey as she sat with them in the cockpit.

"So, just out of curiosity, where did you two get HK-47?" she asked.

Finnick turned with a smile.

"Do you really want to know?" Well, I will tell you. He was a reward from famed underworld figure Mr. Big, a shrew who has operations from Coruscant to Tatooine, in addition to other worlds. He gave HK to us as a reward for some services we did for him, along with our payment. We really don't know what the HK name stands for though," he said.

Judy was extremely curious now.

"Thank you. That was...interesting to say the least," she said.

Honey nodded.

"What we do know is that he is a combat droid, loaded with all manner of weapons. When you're traveling among the dangerous worlds of the outer rim, it's helpful to have a trigger-happy, flamethrowing droid at your side," she said.

Judy didn't know what to make of this. Meanwhile, Nick was busy attempting to practice his Jedi meditation, but couldn't get his romantic attraction to Judy out of his head. He attempted to recite the Jedi code, but to no avail.

"Why..." he thought to himself in frustration.

At the same time, though she wasn't giving any hint of it, Judy was struggling with the same feelings. It was difficult for the both of them, and, deep down, there was a part of them that wished that they weren't Jedi at all, that they could live normal lives and be romantically involved with one another. As they pondered their feelings, the Ebon Hawk continued its journey toward Manaan. Back on Coruscant, there was another debate in the Galactic Senate about the state of the war, overseen by Supreme Chancellor Leodore Lionheart, a lion from Naboo, and Vice Chancellor Dawn Bellwether, a sheep from Alderaan. Right now, they were listening to the statment by the senator from Naboo, a beautiful female Thomson's gazelle known as Gazelle. She was pleading with the Chancellor to do what he could to end the war with this latest generation of Sith.

"Please, Chancellor. Do what you can. We need to end this. The Sith will simply devestate one planet after another unless they are stopped," she said.

Chancellor Lionheart looked at her and put up his hands in a placating gesture.

"Senator Gazelle, your concerns are valid. However, we are not the Jedi. We need more than just soliders to fight the Sith! We have the Jedi, but Darth Trucidus is dominating us on many fronts" he exclaimed.

Gazelle wasn't having it. She looked first

"Recently, Taris was devestated by the Sith, and that was simply because a single Jedi Knight was on the planet at the time. Now, imagine if you will, if that was Naboo, or Alderaan, or Corellia, or any other Republic world. We need to work harder!" she said.

Many senators echoed her sentiments. Gazelle was a highly influential voice in the senate, and also very well-known for her support of the Jedi. Little did Chancellor Lionheart know that she had even more to say.

"Maybe, if you aren't going to do what needs to be done, you shouldn't be Chancellor," she said sternly.

Lionheart's political rivals in the senate cheered. They loved the concept. Their cheers grew louder. Bellwether had to step in and call for order, which she promptly did.

"ORDER! WE SHALL HAVE ORDER!" she called out.

The senate meeting went on, but with nothing getting accomplished as usual. Gazelle lamented the fact that corrupt senators were now commonplace, and that there was so much adherence to procedure. She sighed. She would continue her pleas to do more amongst the Sith, and planned to forge a personal alliance with the Jedi in order to help fund their part in the ongoing battles. Meanwhile, after the meeting ended, Bellwether went into her private office. Entering a private Holo-projector booth, she typed in a few codes and waited. Suddenly, the image of a tall male tiger appeared. This was Darth Trucidus. Bellwether was secretly allying with the Sith and funding them. She hated the Republic and how she had been treated by Lionheart and others. She smiled.

"Darth Trucidus. Greetings, oh mighty lord of the Sith," she said.

Trucidus smiled.

"Vice Chancellor Bellwether. I would enjoy a face-to-face meeting with you about our partnership. Please, in several standard days, meet me on the Sith tombworld of Korriban, in the Valley of the Dark lords. We will discuss everything there. I will send you the coordinates following this conversation," he said in his deep, accented voice.

Bellwether looked at the hologram's fearsome face. She was nervous. In the course of her dealings with the Sith, she had heard of Korriban, a barren, rocky, shadowy world where the ancient Sith buried their deceased rulers. She had also heard that lethal predators like the fearsome Tuk'ata and flying Shyrack roamed it, and that it was haunted by the ghosts of dead Sith lords.

"Uh...yes, sir," she said.

Darth Trucidus nodded. He was pleased.

"See you soon," he said before his hologram disappeared.

Bellwether then began to make plans for her journey to Korriban. The coordinates to the planet were sent out. Out in space, the Ebon Hawk finally emerged from hyperspace to see the azure blue globe that was the planet Manaan. Finnick nodded.

"I am going to put us down in Ahto City," he said.

Everyone waited as the ship began to head down into Manaan's atmosphere. Nick and Judy shared a look, but said nothing. Their minds were clearly preoccupied by their feelings. Finally, the Ebon Hawk touched down in a hangar. Finnick turned toward the group. He had a smile on his face.

"Here we are, everyone. The scenic planet of Manaan. Remember, this world is very strict about keeping the peace. The Ahto City Police Force will be looking for any disturbances, so be on your best behavior. That goes double for you, HK," he said.

HK fixed his mechanical "eyes" on his master.

"Statment: I will do as you say, Master," he said.

Everyone disembarked from the Ebon Hawk and began the short trek to the booth of the Port Authority, where they paid their landing fee. From there, the group walked into the main area of Ahto City, the only dry land on this planet, which was otherwise entirely covered in ocean. The native alien species, the fish-people known as the Selkath, had built this city to facilitate trade and commerce, especially of the powerful healing agent kolto, with the outside galaxy. When they arrived in the area, they were met by someone that Nick and Judy knew well: Idris Bogo, the Cape buffalo battlemaster of the Jedi Order, clad in his Jedi attire and bearing his lightsaber on his belt, like all Jedi. He was the one who taught lightsaber skills at the temple, and he had taught both Nick and Judy when they were young. He was brave and powerful, wielding his green-bladed standard lightsaber with frightening skill. He knew all seven forms of lightsaber combat. He also knew everything about the topic of lightsabers, building them to all the different types in existence, such as standard, double-bladed, curved-hilt and more. He looked at them.

"Ah, Nick Wilde, Judy Hopps and their crew. We have been waiting for you," he said.

Nick gave a curious look.

"We?" he asked.

Bogo nodded.

"There is a small group of Jedi and Republic officers from the Republic Embassy here, dedicated to helping the leadership make a plan should the Sith turn on them," he said.

Nick understood. He turned to Judy, wondering what she would say. She merely turned to the others, and began to introduce Finnick and his crew to the Jedi master.

"Master Bogo, meet the pilot who brought us here, Finnick, his romantic companion Honey Honey Badger, their Wookiee friend Zaalbar and their droids HK-47 and T3-M4," she said.

Bogo looked at them without smiling.

"Good. We have additional help. Now, let's head to the Republic Embassy," he said.

They followed the Jedi master through the streets of Ahto City, passing mammals, Selkath and various other alien species, including Zabraks, Ithorians, Twi'leks and others. After a decent walk, they finally arrived at the Republic Embassy. First to greet them there was the sloth at the front desk. His name was Flash.

"Welcome...to...the...Re...pub...lic...Em...bass...y...." he said, as painfully slow as any other sloth in the galaxy.

Bogo looked at him.

"We have allies here, Flash. Members of the Jedi Order, and a pilot and his allies," he said.

Flash admitted them into the Embassy. Once inside, they saw a group of Republic military officers of several mammal and alien species, including the heroic rhino General Mchorn, victor in several ground battles. Also there were a considerable number of Jedi of various ranks and species, among them Bagheera and Akela. The panther and wolf fixed their gaze on their students.

"Greetings, students. Good to see that you made it here safely. Now, if you will come with us, there is much to discuss," Bagheera said.

Nick and Judy bowed, and they and their allies all followed the group. They headed over to a meeting room, where they all promptly began discussing what they knew of the Sith plot. However, none of their knowledge prepared them for what happened next. A male Zabrak aide to the ambassador entered the room.

"The Sith are attacking Manaan. The city is being devestated!" he announced.

The Jedi and soliders said nothing. They simply drew their lightsabers vibroblades and blasters and joined the fray. The scene outside the embassy was horrible. Sith soliders, lightsaber-wielding Sith warriors and Dark Jedi and other Sith minions fought against Republic troops that had already been out there. The odds began to turn in the Republic's favor once the Jedi joined them. The attack had been a surprise. Ahto City was being devestated by Sith ships above. Nick and Judy were fighting side by side as they often did. However, they were suddenly confronted by a massive Polar bear Sith warrior wielding a curved-hilt

"I am Darth Ursus,and neither of you shall survive," he said.

Though Darth Ursus was a Polar bear, this was not apparent except for looking at his face, due to the fact that the rest of his body from the neck down by what was essentially a suit of living armor composed of hard-shelled parasitic arthropods known as Orbalisks. These creatures, natives of the jungle moon of the planet Onderon called Dxun, had latched onto him while he was on that moon in the Sith tomb there, and protected him from even lightsaber blades, but at the price of constant agony. He kept them off his face by use of a special mask-like head covering. If they were wounded or  killed, they would also release a toxic substance into the host's body. Ursus raised his red-bladed lightsaber to strike as Nick and Judy raised theirs to defend. However, their blades didn't meet his. Rather, Ursus' blade met with another lightsaber blade: the green blade of Bogo's weapon. The Cape buffalo looked at the students he had once taught.

"Go! I will deal with him!" he said.

Nick and Judy headed off to assist elsewhere in the battle. Finnick and his team were defeating soliders left and right. Bogo battled Ursus in a fierce clash of lightsabers. The Jedi battlemaster showed why he had earned his title. Both used the same form of lightsaber combat, Djem So. Elsewhere, Nick and Judy aided the soliders in taking out Sith troops, while Bagheera and Akela worked together against a Wild dog Sith named Darth Fastus, the apprentice of Darth Trucidus. This Sith was known for his arrogance and cruelty. He had been a Jedi, but had been obsessed with his master's collection of Sith teachings, and had fallen to the dark side after confronting a powerful Sith ghost in one of the tombs on Korriban. He wielded a double-bladed lightsaber with red Sith blades.

"The Republic will fall!" he exclaimed.

Bagheera and Akela didn't bother answering. It was beneath the status of Jedi masters such as them. Working together, the panther and the wolf wore him out, then Akela locked saber blades with him. Bagheera then used the opportunity to bring his lightsaber down on Fastus' lightsaber hilt, a common way to defeat users of double-bladed lightsabers, destroying it. Fastus, knowing he was defeated, was forced to flee, knowing that Trucidus would more than likely kill him. Finally, a victory for the Republic was won. The Sith broke away and fled.

"We are victorious!" Bogo shouted.

A great cheer rose up from the devestated city. Nick and Judy knew that, now they had done their mission, it was time to fly home to Coruscant. They said goodbye to their allies and mentors before going to board the Ebon Hawk. News swiftly reached the senate about the Sith's attack, and it didn't take Gazelle long to ask for a meeting with Chancellor Lionheart. He was going to call the senate to session later on, and discuss what to do.

"Good to see you again, Senator Gazelle," Lionheart began.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Chancellor, here is yet another unprovoked Sith attack. Your approval ratings are sure to drop even more. The calls for a new election to be held are getting stronger. Who knows what planet will be struck next?" she said.

Lionheart knew that what she said was true. His approval ratings had been dropping ever since the attack on Taris. All he could do was sigh. He had a gloomy feeling.

"Senator Gazelle, please. I am going to call the senate to session. You can continue to voice your concerns there," the chancellor said to her, lost for words.

Gazelle nodded.

"Thank you, Chancellor," she said, heading off.

Gazelle left the senate building and went back to her luxurious apartment at 500 Republica, the most prestigious address on all of Coruscant. Getting in, she felt she needed to talk to someone. Going into her bedroom, she went to the holo-projector, typed in a code and waited. Moments later, the hologram of a handsome male Oryx in the attire of Naboo's royal head of security. His name was Soren Oryxhorn, and he was the protector to the teenage lioness queen of Naboo, Kiara Lionheart, the great-niece of Chancellor Lionheart and the daughter of his nephew, a powerful Naboo royal named Simba Lionheart. Gazelle smiled.

"Oh Soren, it's good to see you again!" she said, happy to see him, even if it was just a hologram.

Soren smiled. They were madly in love, but forced to spend long periods of time apart. He was happy to see her too. He loved everything about her, and also loved to hear her perfom traditional Naboo folk songs in her beautiful singing voice, which she sometimes did. Putting that aside, he looked back at her hologram.

"It's been awhile, Gazelle," he said.

Gazelle returned his smile.

"Ah, things aren't easy here on Coruscant, as usual. I am going to speak before the senate again. The Sith launched an attack on Manaan, but the Jedi and some troops pushed them back. Ahto City was devestated in the process," she said.

Soren nodded.

"Remember, stick to what you believe in. You have a highly influential voice in the senate. It's a big deal for Naboo. Be brave, and I will see you soon," he told her.

Gazelle gave a curious look.

"See me soon?" she asked.

Soren chuckled. He was very happy about this.

"Queen Kiara gave me leave to come to Coruscant to visit you. Perhaps you could take me to that restaurant overlooking the Manarai Mountains, the one you have told me about," he said.

Gazelle wished she could hug him, but put it aside. She said goodbye, he responded in kind, and the hologram vanished. Later, Gazelle made it to the senate meeting, where the heated discussion began. She was the first to speak.

"My colleagues, the Sith have devestated a world that our military depends on for its medical supplies. All of this has been under Chancellor Lionheart's watch. Now, his popularity poll numbers are dropping. I call for a vote of no confidence in his leadership, and believe that perhaps a new chancellor is needed, a strong one who will do anything within limits that is needed," she said.

Chancellor Lionheart slumped in his seat. Inside, Bellwether was gleeful. He was getting what he deserved. A minute later, her thoughts turned to her coming meeting on Korriban. At her residence, Trucidus had given her the coordinates needed to get to that planet, the cradle of the dark side. All around, mammal and alien senators were demanding a new election to be held soon. Suddenly, a female voice rang out.

"Due to her loyalty and passion for the Republic, I would like to give a nomination to Senator Gazelle of Naboo, if only unofficially for now until the election is held," the red-skinned female Twi'lek senator of Ryloth shouted.

That got Gazelle's attention. More voices began to echo that sentiment. Aboard the Ebon Hawk, Judy came to check on Nick. She sat down next to her crush, who was meditating, or at least attempting to do so. He turned as she began to speak.

"Hey there. What's up?" she asked.

Nick sighed.

"I just have something on my mind right now," he said.

Judy smiled.

"Actually, so do I, but I don't think I should tell you, yet," she said.

Nick was curious.

"What? Judy, you can tell me," he said.

Judy shook her head. She knew that her feelings for Nick were forbidden, and that she shouldn't speak of them.

"Not now, maybe another time," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Nick pulled back. Being touched by her made him long to tell her even more. He wanted to be in love with her, and be loved by her in return, even if that meant abandoning the way of the Jedi.

"Judy, I can't hold it in anymore. For some time now, I have been in love with you. I know that this is forbidden, but I wanted you to know. I would do anything for you, even leave the Jedi order," he said.

Judy's eyes went wide.

"Nick, I love you too, but we're Jedi. We can never be in love, only friends, and I wouldn't want you to leave the Jedi. They saved you from becoming a slave to the Hutts," she said in a very uncertain voice.

Nick's eyes narrowed a bit.

"Judy, your tone was very uncertain. That means you have the same doubts about the Jedi teachings on attachment as I do. There is no reason to be ashamed about that," he said.

Judy could hear the deep conviction in his voice. That being the case continued to influence her. They got closer together until they kissed. After a moment, however, Judy pulled away.

"No, we shouldn't have done that. It was wrong," she said.

Nick shook his head. He didn't like that Jedi teaching.

"No, it is a good thing. We have these emotions and feelings for a reason," he said.

Judy sighed.

"I need time to think about it," she said.

Nick nodded and understood. The rest of the time passed in quiet. A long time later, Nick and Judy finally arrived back on Coruscant. The Jedi council was there to meet them, along with Bagheera and Akela.

"Greetings. Your masters have already told us of your great bravery on Manaan. That can mean only one thing," a male Panda Jedi master said.

Judy bowed.

"What, masters?" she asked.

Bagheera took over.

"This means that you and Nick are to be knighted right now," he said.

Nick and Judy shared a look with one another, then knelt on their knees. Bagheera and Akela both drew their lightsabers, ignited them and stood before their apprentices. After saying the traditional words, Nick and Judy were both declared Jedi knights. They were so happy. After that ceremony, they reentered the Jedi temple to rest. Finnick, Honey and their allies went to a small apartment they rented on planet to do the same after giving the Jedi their contact information. Several days went by. Bellwether was preparing to leave for Korriban, lying to Lionheart that she had something that she needed to take care of on a distant world in the outer rim. Seeing no reason to question her, the troubled chancellor gave his permission. Finally, Bellwether left. Her head of security, Doug, looked at her questioningly.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

Bellwether sighed.

"A remote outer rim world called Korriban, in the Horuset system. It is the ancient burial world of the Sith, the place where the Sith lords of old were buried," she said.

Doug shrugged.

"Never heard of it," he said before turning away.

Inside, Bellwether was trying to calm her nerves. She wished that Trucidus had picked another world to meet on, a world not filled with vicious predators and one that was not supposedly haunted. Putting that aside, she waited. Finally, her pilot came to the planet. She braced herself for what was to come. The pilot took the ship down. Bellwether's heart was beating quickly, but she said nothing and headed out, setting foot in the Valley of the Dark lords. Korriban truly was the horror she had heard of: shadowy, with a permanently fiery red sky and reddish-orange, sandy soil. Ruins of tombs, temples and other structures were all around her, marked with images and hieroglyphs. Ahead of her was the cloaked figure of Darth Trucidus. She carefully stepped forward and bowed her head.

"Darth Trucidus. Greetings," she said.

The tiger looked at her, obviously knowing the discomfort that being on this world caused the sheep. Bellwether nervously looked around. She could feel the skin under her wool crawling, and she seemed to feel something in her mind telling her to just leave right now. Darth Trucidus took a step closer.

"Welcome, Vice Chancellor Bellwether, to Korriban. As you know, this is the Valley of the Dark Lords, where four of the most important Sith lords of history are buried: Ajunta Pall, the leopard Dark Jedi who led the first mammals to abandon the Jedi way. Marka Ragnos, the half-lion, half-Sith ruler who ruled for a century. Tulak Hord, a wolf master of the lightsaber, and Naga Sadow, the half-fox, half-Sith alchemist," He said.

Bellwether looked around, but now she was curious about many things.

"What do you have planned after Taris and Manaan?" she asked.

Darth Trucidus smiled wickedly.

"At the moment, we are engaging in a little operation on the core world of Talravin, but our big plan is an all-out assault on the Jedi Academy on Dantooine," he said.

Bellwether nodded. Already, she was starting to regret letting her anger at the Republic take her so far as to start dealing with the Sith. For a long moment, she wondered about the Sith tiger's past.

"Lord Trucidus, if it's not too much, may I ask how you became the ruling Sith lord?" she asked.

Under any other circumstance, Trucidus would have killed the individual asking the question on the spot for daring to ask such a question, but he knew that Bellwether was not a Sith, nor was she Force-sensitive. He felt she was harmless.

"Very well. Many years ago, I was a Jedi named Shere Khan. I was considered among the greatest and most powerful of the order, but then I got involved in the war of that era. After vanquishing the enemy, I vanished into the unknown regions. There, I encountered the true Sith Empire and its mighty Sith emperor. He turned me to the dark side of the Force, named me Darth Trucidus, changed the blue crystal in my lightsaber to a red one and commanded me to find artifacts of the pre-Republic Infinite Empire of the Rakata species, a species that well over 30, 000 years ago conquered and ruled the galaxy. However, I would not be dominated by another, and I challenged him. He attempted to use all his dark side abilities, but I turned his powers back on him, killing him. I then claimed my place as Sith emperor and Dark lord of the Sith," he said.

Whatever shred of confidence Bellwether had possessed before that story was now gone. She no longer desired to help the Sith in any way. She had to get back to Coruscant and inform the Jedi council and maybe, just maybe, she could find redemption for the evil deeds she had helped fund. She looked at Trucidus.

"Very well, Lord Trucidus. Now, I must be getting back to Coruscant," she said.

Trucidus nodded and turned to leave. Bellwether wasted no time getting on her own vessel and looking at the pilot. She was eager to get off Korriban.

"Take me back to Coruscant. I need to speak with the Jedi council," she said.

The pilot nodded and took off. All the way back home, Bellwether took time for reflection. She wished that she had never gotten involved with the Sith in any way. She reflected on just how much Korriban terrified her.

"I will never set foot on that awful planet again," she thought to herself.

Finally, the ship landed back on Coruscant. Leaving and getting on a shuttle, she wasted no time in getting to the Jedi Temple. The lion gate guard looked at her.

"Vice Chancellor Bellwether. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" he asked.

Bellwether looked back up at the Jedi lion.

"I need to confess my wrongdoings to the Jedi council," she said.

The guard was stunned.

"Uh...all right, just hold on," he said.

He left to inform them. They decided to admit her. Soon enough, she stood before the Jedi Council.

"What brings you before us. Vice Chancellor?" the female wolf Jedi master asked.

Bellwether sighed.

"Most revered masters, I confess. For a awhile now, I have been conspiring against the Republic with the Sith," she said.

The Jedi council all looked at her in shock. They hadn't expected this from her. Bellwether was actually the last person they'd expect to be allying with the enemy. Still, they would give her a chance. Bellwether went on.

"I had a meeting with Darth Trucidus on Korriban. He is planning attacks on both Dantooine and Talravin. Although he didn't mention what his plans were for Talravin, but he did say that they were planning an attack on the Jedi Academy on Dantooine. As for me, I am going to rest, and then I am going to resign from my position tomorrow," she said.

The Jedi Council began discussing what to do in this situation. They had never before faced such an act of treachery, and then had the person responsible come to them and apologize. They were all unsure of it all.

"Thank you for hearing me, Masters. I will see you all son, and may the Force be with you," she said before leaving for her apartment.

After she was gone, the discussion went back to what was at hand.

"We need to prepare for Dantooine. As for Talravin, we must send someone to aid Jedi lord Micah Fangmeyer against the Sith," one master said.

Just then, the room's holoprojector activated. Micah Fangmeyer, clad in his Jedi lord regalia of armored robes, appeared in holographic form. Though the Jedi lords were not considered a part of the main order due to their differing beliefs on a variety of Jedi teachings, they were still considered true Jedi. They originated in an earlier era, when the Republic was so weakened and open to Sith attacks that a few Jedi went on quests to drive them back. These Jedi came to hold political power over entire planets and planetary systems, effectively becoming kings, queens and barons. They established castles and manors as their homes and bases of operation, married, and passed down their titles to their children in hereditary fashion. Micah Fangmeyer was one such lord, the leader of Talravin. He looked at the council members.

"My friends and allies, I come before you to say that Sith operatives have been spotted. We were able to capture one, a weasel, and he cracked under our interrogation. He says that the Sith are preparing to plant bombs in an important power station. I need some Jedi to assist my men and I," the tiger said.

"But what Jedi to send?" a leopardess master asked.

Bogo, though not a member of the Jedi council, often stood in for masters who were on missions. As the battlemaster, he had much influence. When he began to speak, his comrades listened.

"I suggest knights Wilde and Hopps for this mission. They showed great bravery on Manaan," he said.

The other masters nodded. They had all heard Bogo's account, as well as those of Bagheera and Akela. A call went out for them, and Nick and Judy were eager to get back out in the field. They contacted Finnick again.

"Ok, come to the landing pad, but give us a chance to get ready," the small fox said.

Judy, who was making the contact, nodded.

"Very well, see you shortly," she said.

Nick and Judy went to pack their gear. In both their minds was the matter of the love that they had for one another. Judy had a choice to make: would she break her Jedi vows, or would she remain true to the Jedi way? After gathering their gear, they headed to meet Finnick and his crew. When they arrived, Zaalbar gave a small roar of acknowledgement. Finnick turned to them, as did Honey.

"Ah, our Jedi friends return for another outing across the stars," Finnick said playfully.

Nick nodded.

"Yep, one ride to Talravin and back," he said.

Finnick motioned for everyone to follow him. In the last few days, he had been hearing about the situation in the Republic senate, that they were demanding the election of a new Supreme Chancellor, and that Senator Gazelle of Naboo was the one constantly being asked to run.

"So, anyone hear about the senate demanding a new Chancellor? It's all the news outlets are talking about," he said as they got their gear on the Ebon Hawk.

Zaalbar growled softly to acknowledge his friend's statement. Nick and Judy also weighed in on the matter, stating that they would unofficially support whoever held the ideals of the Republic, as Jedi were not supposed to throw their support behind any one candidate. Once everything was loaded, they took off. Once in space, Judy took it on herself to explain the situation.

"We're going to meet a very powerful Jedi who rules Talravin. There are Sith agents on-world who are planning to blow up an important power station, and we need to stop them," she said.

Honey simply laughed at the idea.

"Just let us set HK on them. The crisis will be solved in minutes," she said.

HK turned toward the Honey badger.

"Statment: HK-47 is ready to serve, mistress," he said.

Judy turned to Honey. She was once again curious about the droid.

"What kind of droid is HK? I didn't ask that when we first met," she said.

Finnick had placed the ship on an auto pilot toward Talravin. He walked out into the main area of the Ebon Hawk. He was remembering the words that Mr. Big had spoken to him when he gave HK to him.

"HK-47 is an assassin droid, which are illegal, but we primarily use him as a combat droid," he said.

Judy looked at them.

"So, you have been traveling in the Republic with an illegal droid in your possession?" she replied in alarm.

Finnick brushed it off.

"He also has protocol droid functions, and can even speak the language of the Sand people," he said.

Nick was listening intently. This made him interested.

"Well, that might come in handy if we're ever all stuck in the desert on Tatooine," he said.

They all had a good laugh about it. A long time later, they finally arrived on Talravin. When they landed, they were met by a tall male tiger in armored robes kept in the brown and tan colors of the Jedi order. He had a lightsaber at his side. A beautiful tigress in fine clothes and a 12-year old male tiger cub stood nearby. The male tiger stepped forward.

"Greetings. I am Jedi lord Micah Fangmeyer. With me are my wife, Alicia, and our son, and my apprentice, Rajah," he said.

Alicia and Rajah turned toward the fox and rabbit. Alicia herself was not Force-sensitive, and so served by leading in her husband's stead when he went away to take care of his responsiblities. Their son, Rajah, was Force-sensitive and was being trained in the Jedi ways by his father. He had just managed to build his lightsaber, which featured a green blade produced by a green crystal from the crystal caves on Dantooine.

"Hello," the young tiger said cheerfully.

Nick and Judy smiled back.

"Hello there. I am Judy Hopps, and with me are my friends, Nick Wilde, Fennec the pilot, his romantic companion Honey Honey Badger, Zaalbar the Wookiee warrior, HK-47 the combat droid, and T3-M4 the astromech droid," she said to the cub.

Rajah fixed his gaze on Zaalbar. He'd read about the Wookiees and their tree-covered homeworld of Kashyyyk in books and seen stuff about it in holo-documentaries, but never had he seen one in person. Nick turned back to Fangmeyer.

"So, what is exactly is going on?" he asked.

Fangmeyer motioned to them, inviting them to join him in a speeder bus that was nearby.

"Come back to my castle with me. We can discuss this more safely there," the Jedi lord said.

Nick, Judy and the others followed him and his family. However, Nick's mind kept focusing on Judy. He wondered if she had made her choice yet. Finally, they arrived at the castle. It was a magnificent structure, especially the throne room. Micah Fangmeyer may have had the title of Jedi lord, but he truly was the king of the world, as Jedi lords tended have that much influence and power. Sitting on his throne, Fangmeyer began to explain everything to them. However, he could pick up on the struggles in Nick and Judy's minds. He then looked at Nick.

"Come with me," he said.

Nick momentarily wondered where the Jedi lord was taking him. They stepped out onto a balcony overlooking Talravin's mixed terrain of hills and forest. It was splendid to behold. The tiger wasted no time in getting down to business.

"Your thoughts occupy you rather than the detail of the mission, young fox," he said.

Nick laughed nervously.

"No, nothing like that," he replied unconvincingly.

Fangmeyer narrowed his eyes.

"Please, tell me. I can help if you do so," he said.

Nick sighed.

"Fine. As you know, Judy and I are both members of the mainline Jedi order. She and I have been friends since we were children. However, recently, we found that we have a romantic attraction to each other. That said, we can't go any further, because the current Jedi code won't allow it," he said.

Fangmeyer shook his head.

"They are wrong about that, you know," he said.

Nick's eyes went wide.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Fangmeyer smiled.

"Love will save you, not condemn you. What they should be teaching is controlling your passions while in love. I encourage you to talk about this with her," he said.

Nick's heart was beating fast.

"But, the Jedi..." he began.

Fangmeyer dismissed that concern.

"The Jedi weren't always this way. At one time, Jedi married and had families regularly. Please, listen to me. You need to settle this, or your inner turmoil will never cease," he answered.

That got Nick's attention. He finally agreed. That night, at dinner, they learned that they would be going for the station tomorrow. After the meal, bantha steaks and vegetables for Fangmeyer, his family and Nick, and a vegetable blend for Judy, Nick asked Judy to meet him on a balcony to talk.

"What is this about, Nick?" she asked.

Nick looked into her eyes.

"Last time we talked about this, aboard the Ebon Hawk, you said you needed time to think about our relationship and if you wanted to go farther. Well, have you made your choice?" he said.

Judy smiled at him.

"Yes, Nick, I have, and I want to say that I want to be the love of your life. I will do anything with you, even leave the Jedi. I have thought about it for awhile now, and I would rather spend my time in this galaxy with you," she said. Nick smiled. He was overjoyed.

"Then let it be so. We will no longer be Jedi, and we will be like others in the galaxy," he said.

Nick and Judy came closer together, and then kissed deeply. It was done and there was no going back. They had decided that the Jedi way wasn't for them anymore. Little did they know, however, that things were about to change, that Nick was about to become so much more in the galaxy. Judy put a hand on his shoulder.

"I love you, Nick. You are power. When I look at you, it is like staring into the heart of the Force," she said.

Nick brushed this off.

"I am just the simple fox from Nar Shaddaa, the cesspool of the galaxy. You flatter me, Judy," he said.

Judy laughed.

"No, it's the truth. I have never seen a Jedi like you. Perhaps, instead of leaving the order, you should attempt to become a Jedi lord," she said.

Now, it was Nick's turn to laugh.

"Me? A Jedi lord? That would never happen," he said.

Judy then looked at the night sky.

"Can we discuss this tomorrow, after the mission? It's a bit late," she asked.

Nick smiled at Judy. He was more than happy.

"Sure, see you then," he said.

The two of them held hands and walked inside. They slept peacefully. Then, the next day, they woke up bright and early. Lord Fangmeyer had assembled a team of his best men for the job. Nick and Judy were also ready, robes on, lightsabers on their belts. Fangmeyer looked at everyone.

"Now, everyone. Remember what we're doing. We are saving this important power station, as it is where many natives of this world get their power from. From what my officials reported, there are at least several explosive containers. We must be cautious," he said.

Nick, Judy and the others all understood. Meanwhile, on Coruscant and elsewhere in the Republic, mammals and aliens of all kinds awoke to hear the news that Vice Chancellor Dawn Bellwether was resigning from her position. She was in the middle of her speech, cleary upset about how she had betrayed the mammals and aliens that had elected and trusted her.

"I had allied with the Sith Empire in an act of vengeance, and I am full of regret. I have finally seen where I went wrong. As of now, I resign from my position. It seems as if there is going to be a new election soon, and I urge you not to just vote in the candidate that makes promises just to get votes. That's what happened with me. As for me, I will be retiring to a spaceport on Dantooine. Thank you," she said.

There was outrage from the citizens, which Bellwether anctipated, and was why she was leaving for Dantooine. Though they hadn't heard the news yet on Talravin, Nick, Judy and the others soon would. Nick looked at Fangmeyer.

"Sir, may I ask you something?" he asked.

Fangmeyer shook his head.

"Not yet. Please, kindly wait until after the mission, then I will answer any question that is within my power to answer," he said.

The mission continued. Finnick and Honey warned HK to be careful as he was firing. Finally, they arrived at the station. Getting inside, a wolf technician briefed them. There were six explosives, each in a different location. Nick and Judy took the datapad and offered to be the ones to disarm the explosives, with help from the technician.

"Go then, and may the Force be with you," Fangmeyer said.

They left, using the datapad map as a guide. As they were off, they fought their way through Sith troops and mercenaries. This was also the case for Fangmeyer and the other members of the mission. Thankfully, they had help. HK revealed his true combat skills, such as the flamethrower Finnick had installed. He won the day for them. Within the station, Nick and Judy finally got the sixth explosive deactivated.

"There. Now, let's go," Judy said.

When they finally arrived on the scene, they announced it immediately. There was a cheer from everyone around. Honey was so excited about what had gone on.

"You should have seen it! HK won the battle for us!" she exclaimed.

Their job done, they began the journey back to Fangmeyer's castle. Upon arrival, they contacted the Jedi council. However, they quickly learned that this wasn't the end.

"We appreciate your efforts on Talravin, but now you must head for Dantooine," one of the masters said.

Judy nodded.

"We are on our way," she said.

Fangmeyer allowed Nick to ask his question. Nick asked about how one became a Jedi lord. The tiger explained it as best he could. Getting their belongings, Nick, Judy and their allies headed back to the Ebon Hawk. They blasted off en route to Dantooine. It was there that they learned of Bellwether's resignation. They were surprised.

"Bellwether was working with the Sith..." Judy said.

Finnick shrugged.

"It's always the one you least suspect," he said.

The discussion about Bellwether continued on. On Coruscant, the new elections were officially announced, and Senator Gazelle announced that she was in the running, with a female cheetah senator from Corellia named Rebekah Clawhauser as her Vice Chancellor. This was met with immense joy. When the Ebon Hawk landed at the Jedi Academy on Dantooine, the council members and knights told them that the Sith forces were already landing, and that they needed to hurry. Joining them would be the local militias that helped to protect the planet. Heading out to the grassy plains, they were met by Darth Trucidus and his force of Sith warriors, all wielding ignited red lightsabers. Trucidus smiled maliciously.

"Jedi! You are surrounded. Make peace with the Force now, for this your final hour!" he said.

Judy boldly looked at.

"The tyranny of the Sith will not destroy us!" she replied.

The Jedi ignited their lightsabers and the battle began. Judy confronted Darth Trucidus.

"It's over!" she said.

Trucidus nodded.

"Oh no, young bunny. It is only just beginning!" he exclaimed.

Trucidus raised his hands and used one of his Force powers on her, the one known as Sever Force, the power to permanently cut someone off from the Force. Judy no longer had the Force, the worst thing for a Jedi. She groaned as she fell to her knees. Trucidus raised his red-bladed lightsaber to kill her but a green blade intercepted it. It was Nick.

"She won't die today, but you will!" the fox said furiously.

A lightsaber duel began. There, on the grassy plains of Dantooine, Nick dueled the most powerful Sith in the history of the galaxy. An instant later, Nick impaled him through the chest. Darth Trucidus died an instant later. The other Sith surrendered. The militia leaders looked at him as he held Judy.

"You, brave fox, must be our leader," they said.

Judy groaned as she adjusted her position.

"A Jedi lord..." she said.

That very same day, Nick and Judy officially left the main order, and Nick was crowned Jedi lord of Dantooine. Finnick was made Nick's personal pilot. HK became his bodyguard. Bellwether became an adviser when they met her on their new homeworld. Nick brought his parents from Coruscant, and they were thrilled to see their son after twenty years apart. Two weeks later, Nick and Judy were married. Gazelle won the election and vowed to improve the senate. A year later, Nick and Judy moved into a castle estate, and to their surprise, Judy bore Nick a Force-sensitive son. Things looked bright.